Can't Stop Running
by dark shadowed rose
Summary: Ichigo has been running since the day he defeated Aizen, Kagome Higurashi has decided to put an end to his running. Bleach/Inuyasha Crossover. Sort of a Beauty and the Beast theme. Kagome/Ichigo pairing. T for bad words and a couple of fights and injuries.
1. Chapter 1

**Can't Stop Running**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha, don't own Bleach, so I don't own anything. So I admit it's another Bleach Inuyasha crossover done beauty and the beast style, I can't help it. I love the idea, and beauty and the beast is just so much fun to write. By the way Ichigo's form is that of his hollow in his last fight with Ulquiorra.**

**Chapter One**

**October 11th**

Ichigo landed lightly, his feet touching ground. His relief was mingled with a touch of sadness, never again would he hold Tensa Zangetsu and never again would people stare at his huge Shikai. But Aizen was dead. Ichigo searched the crater for signs of Aizen's body, he knew Aizen had to be dead but he wanted to make sure, he didn't have long before he would lose all his abilities to see spirits and he wanted a chance to say good bye. He found Aizen's body but then to his horror he saw it twitch.

He stepped to a few feet away from Aizen's body, it was regenerating. Aizen moved so that he was on his hands and knees, his breathing was deep and each exhale was a growl, Aizen was furious. Ichigo struggled to think, what could he do? His sword was gone, his powers fading like a drop of water under the sun in the summer.

Aizen struggled to his feet still growling, and Ichigo still didn't know what to do, he had just thrown all his power at the man and it wasn't enough. To prove his point his waist length black hair fell away leaving him with his too long orange hair. Stumbling he fell to his knees now Aizen was the one standing. "Crap."

He'd failed, everyone was going to die.

Aizen groaned, and then spoke, "Kurosaki Ichigo, you lose."

Ichigo bit his lip and clenched his fists in the dirt, Aizen was going to taunt him again before finishing him off.

Aizen held his sword out, "Observe."

The sword was slowly crumbling, fading on the wind. Ichigo held in a growl of his own, Aizen was still reaching.

"My Zanpakuto is fading away. You should know what that means. The Hogyoku has determined that I have no need of a Zanpakuto! Like you, I have become one with the Zanpakuto and it's powers. No, in fact you longer have such powers! While I will reach far beyond that level you had obtained! It's OVER! Kurosaki Ichigo!"

A red glow came from Aizen's chest, both he and Aizen were startled by it. Aizen looked at his chest and both of them saw a red light coming from just above the swirling jewel in his chest. Then one under the jewel appeared. Aizen took a step back. Three more appear creating a cross. The jewel still in the center. "A Kido?!" Aizen staggered as two more lit up. "But when was I hit?"

A new voice, one Ichigo placed right away spoke from his left, "It seems it's finally taking effect." Urahara landed his clogs clicking lightly on the packed earth.

"Urahara!" When had he gotten here?

"Urahara Kisuke! This is your doing?!"

"Yes. Before you completely transformed, when you were most vulnerable, I planted a Kido in another Kido and shot it into your body."

Ichigo felt uneasy, maybe it was silly but Aizen was still standing and talking. Kido taking effect or not he had time to strike one last time. Aizen seemed to be thinking very fast, his face was a mix of anger and frustration. It seemed he realized Urahara had countered him.

"It's a seal. I figured once you fused with the Hogyoku you would be nearly impossible to kill."

Aizen was thinking hard, Ichigo could see Aizen was going to try to pull one last thing, one last time. He opened his mouth to warn Urahara who was still talking, blind to the danger.

"So I invented a new Kido to seal you off."

"Be that as it may I won't let this be a victory." That was all Aizen said before the Hogyoku shot from his chest escaping the Kido, Aizen seemed to shatter, he was back to a human form but for one violet eye. Ichigo barely noticed this before the Hogyoku hit him in the chest.

Surprised he barely had time to see it before it sunk into his chest, white seeped from the spot dripping on the ground. Stunned he realized it didn't hurt, looking up at Urahara he wasn't happy to see horror written across his first teacher's face. Looking down he saw the white running up across his skin, some still dripped on the ground, but it rather quickly was covering him. He reached up to touch the spot the Hogyoku vanished when he saw his hands had claws. Spreading his fingers he saw black tracing the backs of his fingers, it stopped before reaching the back of his hands. At his wrists a red ruff of fur was growing, just an inch wide but it was clearly fur. Standing he opened his mouth to speak to Urahara. Urahara stopped him by calling his name in shocked and rather horrified way. He was looking slightly to the left of where he was actually standing...

Ichigo found his heart sinking he had a clue about what had just happened. His eyes flickered to Aizen, Aizen smiled brightly, his eyes gleaming cruelly. "Suffer Ichigo, Suffer." Then he was swallowed by the seal. Aizen had wanted revenge enough to free the Hogyoku leaving himself to be sealed... What had he done to him?

Looking at his chest he saw striping, the center a round spot that he supposed would look like a hole from far away. Then his eyes saw a white thing from the corner of his eye. Reaching up he touched it to find he had horns, bull type horns, touching his face he felt sharp teeth. He was wearing his hollow's form. Totally horrified now he looked up to find Urahara baring down on him sword at the ready, teeth bared, his eyes wet with suppressed tears. Putting his hands up he manage to catch Urahara's hand stopping the sword from reaching him. Urahara snarled in his face, "How could you kill him!? He was a child!"

The cold spread till he felt numb with shock, Aizen's real plan sinking in, he was in a hollow's form, if normal people could see him he was a freak, no one would help him. His family, his friends, and probably all of soul society would see Aizen. The Hogyoku made Urahara see him die using Aizen's sword's powers. He was one hundred percent fucked.

Urahara lashed out sending him flying, the pain was minor, just a small gash he could see the Hogyoku healing him... that was weird. Wait... Aizen hadn't died, was he going to die again and again at the hands of his friends? He had no sword and only weak powers, he had speed, sight, and healing. How the hell was he going to get away from his friends and out of soul society? He was so distracted and frankly ruined by the scope of a five second plan that he failed to react to Urahara attacking him. He went down hard pain burning through him, blood sprayed and he had just enough time to understand he had just been cut in half and stabbed in the heart before he blacked out.

Stirring he found his body ached, his eyes drifting open he stared at the blue sky, feeling a bit of hope he lifted a hand but at the sight of the claws and the black stripes he fell back in despair. Aizen said suffer and he was suffering. Hearing Urahara saying something he lifted his head enough to see him talking to the sealed Aizen. Like it was him. He couldn't have been out for long, just enough to make Urahara think he was dead.

"...Yuzu and Karin will be safe, me and your father will make sure of it."

Grief sunk in, his family and friends would be so angry with him, they would think he was dead. His sisters. If he ever went back Karin would never forgive him. Yuzu would never stop crying. The Hogyoku decided he had enough rest, Urahara spun like he made a noise, Ichigo leaped to his feet and took off running. He didn't like dying, it hurt, a lot. Urahara was fast, his attack skimmed his back.

Grunting at the pain he tried to go faster, but his limits were clear. Frustrated by the third nick, he wished so very hard he could leave he tumbled straight through a Gargantua. Standing in the dark swirling vortex he considered for a brief second just staying, but he knew some where, some how he could get out of this. He just had to fight a little longer. Knowing Karakura was still swarming he thought of the vacation they had taken when he was seven to Saga. Then he started walking, he pictured the beach he, his sisters and their mother had spent most of the four days they were there at. Finally he stepped out. People started screaming right away. Crushed again by the thoroughness of the plan Aizen thought up on a fly he then started running, he needed clothes, something with a hood.

**Nine Months Later July 16th Tokyo**

**Kagome **

Kagome was out. She and the girls had gone to a movie, something that had become normal after her quest in the Feudal era had ended a year ago. She still missed everyone, rather often actually, but there was something to be said for the innocence of this era. There was the sex factor which would have flustered Sango but thrilled Miroku, but it was more innocent, so few people had seen violent deaths, and even then if they had it probably wasn't an every day thing unless they chose so.

She was half way to the train station to go get some things for her mother when she felt it, she stopped dead in the middle of cross walk, after all she couldn't be feeling what she thought it was. But feeling it get fainter she made a snap decision, she would chase it. Taking two steps to her left she realized it was to her right, running that way as the cross walks began to clear she fought crowds, battling to get closer to what felt like a corrupted Shikon no Tama.

**Ichigo**

He held in a sigh it was his first day in Tokyo and he had absolutely no luck, some times he had been able to get odd jobs or some kind person would give him something for free, but more often then not he found he had to resort to stealing. The clothes eight, no nine, months ago had been the first thing, the next thing had been dinner because the moment people stopped running from him at first glance he realized he was starving. The third day he had wished hard enough the Hogyoku gave in and gave him Tensa Zangetsu, Zangetsu wasn't back speaking to him, but having the blade was enough, he wasn't totally alone, and when ever Soul Society found him he had something to fight back with. To his ever lasting annoyance and confusion if he stayed some where for more then a week or two depending on the number of people someone found him. He knew it wasn't his spiritual pressure that gave him away, but more like the Hogyoku drew what ever stationed Shinigami was there to him. Where they always attacked and some times called for back up.

The day Renji had shown up stuck out in his memory, Renji had fought as hard as he could holding him there long enough to get clearance to use his Bankai. He had died four times that day getting away, it was only when he gave in and tried to wound Renji he got away. All the other wounds were ones where it was the Hogyoku messing him or Renji up. The Hogyoku liked to switch things up so people were defending from the wrong direction, normally he pulled his blows enough no one but him got hurt, but fighting his friends it always tried harder. He's fought Rukia once, she hadn't done much damage, but he, to his horror could have killed her three or four times. She had been so angry but at the same time she had buried it beneath the ice of her sword, it was only when he got away and was hiding and heard her give up looking for 'Aizen' he realized how much. She had broken down crying his name and saying sorry the whole time. He had almost slipped up and stepped out. But then he remembered the Hogyoku would twist his words that stopped him. He would only drive the knife deeper.

He was glad he had been able to avoid his family, his nakama was hard enough.

Touching his head he realized he'd need to break his horns down again soon, it was close to a week since he last did it, he grimaced. That was his least favorite part of blending in, in order to wear a hood he had to break his horns off or the hood couldn't cover his face. It hurt but at least they were slow in growing back. His hands he could hide in pockets or with gloves but his face and horns... not so much. He sighed, time to give into the fact he hadn't eaten since the night before. Taking a deep breath and blowing it out he started picking up the pace, he had found if he walked faster then most using just a touch of power he could grab a wallet from the pocket before the person had time to look up at him, seeing a rather fat looking wallet in the back pocket of a well dressed man he picked up speed and slipped past him, the man called hey behind him but didn't start shouting thief so he took the time to slip into an alley and pull the cash out, no cards, no traces.

Dumping the cards he slipped out the far side of the alley, he now had enough money for three or four days, if he got good prices for food. That was always the hard part. One time a guy he had helped fight off a gang told him about a great place for food, he ate there every day after till Shinigami showed up and he was on the run again. It was strange being on his own like this, no ties, no friends. He would say he had seen the best and the worst of people. More of the worst really, the first month was hard he forgot to keep his face hidden more then once and it never failed to panic people the moment they realized it wasn't a mask.

But the odd person kept him from despair, or at least complete despair.

Walking he kept an eye out for a place with cheap prices, then he heard a commotion behind him, turning his head back a little about two blocks back he saw a girl helping someone she had knocked down back up, he was turning back to keep going when he could swear she looked straight at him. His hair stood on end and chill ran down his spine, it was way too freaken fast for a Shinigami to have found him. But with her eyes locked on him and the fact she had started running told him whoever the heck she was, she was looking for him. He took off running.

**Kagome**

She had been chasing the jewel or what felt like the jewel for what felt like half a city, but it had slowed now so she slowed. Didn't stop her from hitting two people, knocking them down, Americans at that. "Sorry, sorry." She finally was in a part of the city that had fewer people, it was a seeder area, but not too bad. So to her surprise she spotted the dark blue-purple glow. It was coming from two hundred yards in front of her, from a guy, a tall one, wearing a backpack and he had a very large hoody on, his head turned and she got the feeling he noticed her.

She was surprised to realize his soul was human, and felt pure, so how was this jewel so corrupt?

Standing she started to walk towards him, then to her surprise he hesitated before bolting, much faster then the normal human. She sighed and then heaved a deep breath and followed. At least she was hitting her second wind. She was glad she had continued to run after the well closed, or she would have lost him by this point. He had stopped down a very dark alley in a much worse side of town then where she had first seen him, wondering if it was a trap she slowly stepped down it, towards the deep dark glow at the end.

**Ichigo**

He stopped and stared at the forty foot wall waiting for him, no door, no ladder, he was stuck. It was a dead end. He couldn't even leap to the top, the amount of effort it would take would leave him wasted and if she could follow him he wouldn't be able to keep running. Either way she had caught him, and at least this way he still had some fight in him. Putting his back to wall he watched the girl walking down the alley towards him. Never mind he was taller then her, never mind she probably couldn't see much, he saw no fear, no hesitation.

Who the hell was she? He had been running for at least half an hour and while she was sweaty and her hair mussed, she wasn't acting like most of their age group would be, she had to be some sort of athlete.

She stopped twenty feet from him, and smiled, her body language suddenly screaming awkward. "Hi, um... Do you have any jewelry on?"

She chased him for miles to rob him?

She shook her head. "Sorry that came out wrong, I want to buy your necklace."

He wasn't wearing a necklace... "I don't have any jewelry on."

She frowned and stepped closer her gaze intense and not on his head since she couldn't see in the hood but at about chest level. What the hell was she staring at?

**Kagome**

He didn't have any jewelry on? She stared at the darkening light, it was like it was reacting to her presence... Was this jewel awake? Or some how aware? And if it wasn't a necklace did that mean it was in his body? If that was the case he should come with her, other wise the longer the jewel stayed like that the more likely it would corrupt him. The fact he ran rather then attacking said he was a good person. He could over power her easily if he hit like he ran. "If that's the case you should come home with me."

She blinked that sounded strange and his body was turned away from her almost like he was afraid. What was he afraid of? "Sorry didn't mean that the way it sounded, I can help you."

Now he looked very startled, at the end of her sentence he jerked like he had been hit. His voice a rough hiss, almost duel toned... "What makes you think that you can help me?"

That didn't sound right, a half growing suspicion burst to the fore front of her mind, stepping forward, she noted he pressed himself against the wall subconsciously. If the jewel was corrupted, but he wasn't, if he was a good person and hadn't done it himself, what was it doing there? And what could make it alive but a evil wish? One that effected him. Stopping in front of him he was still pressed against the wall and looking up the shadow was still too deep for her to see his face. She reached up and saw his his hands twitch, wanting to help, she stopped whatever half thought action he was going to do. "shh, I want to help. I won't hurt you."

Then she pulled the hood down. The first thing she saw was the yellow eyes, but the background wasn't white but black. The next thing she noticed was the teeth, a leering mask the sharp points going all the way back to his ears, that were hidden under messy, long, and dirty orange hair, if it were clean she had a feeling it would be a beautiful color, the likes of which she had never seen before. Then she caught sight of two broken bone like stubs in his hair just above his ears almost covering them, she gasped and understood right a way why he had broken them. With them growing for more then an inch in any direction the hood wouldn't cover his face. She touched then gently, but not gently enough, he flinched and she realized they were tender. So for all she called his face a mask, it was his face, the bone white was his skin the black stripes running down his face, and the red fur she glimpsed at his neck. All of it was his body.

Whoever had done this to him, wanted him to look like a monster. Her hand drifted down over his chest and she was startled by the dark energy that bit her for lack of a better description. Yelping she shook her hand and was surprised when the boy reached out as if to help her. That jewel didn't like her purity. "No, I'm fine I should have seen that one coming."

**Ichigo**

Ichigo stared, feeling vulnerable, the girl had take his hood down and then shown no signs of fear at his face, if anything she seemed to expect it. Then something, probably the Hogyoku hurt her and she wasn't mad, never mind he could see the blood dripping from her fingers. "Why are you here? And what do you mean you should have seen it coming?"

"I sensed you. I followed you. I wasn't sure what to do but you ran, so I followed. I can see you're a good person, bad things have just happened to you. I want to help, I think I can help and I am probably the only one that can. That jewel in your body knows it and hates me for it."

"How do you know about the Hogyoku?" Her statements made sense, but didn't really answer what he meant by the questions. How did she 'see'?

The girl smiled it was both a bright expression and a grim one. "I suppose that's what it's being called?"

He nodded not really understanding.

"I beat one known as the Jewel of Four Souls. That one was neutral at best. The one in you is filled with hate. Cruelty. Anything nasty that you can think of, I see it shinning a blue-purple light almost so dark it's black. Your soul around it light, but I worry if it stays there you'll be corrupted and if that is the case the power could destroy the world."

She then blinked her eyes watering from the amount of time she had spent without blinking while staring at his chest. She smiled sheepishly. "Sounds weird right? Something out of an anime. But that's the only way I can think to describe it."

He nodded again slower this time, if she wasn't talking about him, he might have thought she was missing a few screws but since it was him... She said she wanted to help him, she thought she could help him and she could see what was wrong. That was first sign of hope in months he had.

She smiled brightly. "So will you come home with me since I assume you have no where to go?"

He nodded again, and then guilt made him speak up, "I have some money..."

She cut him off, "Don't worry about, I'm sure any expenses you create can be worked off helping my grandpa. And ignore most of what he says, he's half crazy. So what's your name?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

She grinned and he could almost see her thinking Strawberry, at the same time he couldn't help but notice her smile was beautiful. It was bright and almost seemed to invite him to smile back.

"I'm Higurashi Kagome. Call me Kagome."

She then looked up at the sky they could barely see above them, she groaned, "Crap."

"What?"

"I'm late, I was suppose to pick up some things for my mom- my brother's birthday is in week.. oh well I'll do it tomorrow, she'll understand." Kagome had turned away from him and in a low enough voice he wasn't sure if she knew she said so out loud he heard, "She always does."

Staring at the back of the black haired girl he found himself wondering just what was her story, she mentioned Jewel of Four Souls. He was sure the Hogyoku had more then that in it, but since she could see it he wasn't sure he should argue with her about it. He pulled his hood up and followed her. Getting to the nearest train station she payed for both of them and they stood on the train, Ichigo found himself nervous, this was the sort of time he avoided getting on the train, too many people, the lights were too bright.. She touched him gently, and whispered, "Relax, no one's looking."

His eyes shot to her, it was a little creepy how well she seemed to be reading him. He wondered if she could see emotions or something. It took another twenty minutes before Kagome moved towards the door telling him silently this was their stop. Getting off he noted this was a rather nice side of the city, at least this part of it, he didn't know enough about Tokyo to figure out what was good, what was questionable, and what was the bad, he only knew he had seen it shift sorta of randomly today walking around.

They walked for another ten minutes and Ichigo hung back far enough people wouldn't connect him with the girl other wise they might ask questions, but he couldn't help but notice the number of people who greeted her. This was Tokyo, it had a huge number of people, so many you didn't see the same people on the street every day, but Kagome was getting smiles, nods and even greetings. Who was she to be so recognized?

They were climbing a hill and then she stopped and turned, facing a shrine's steps, she started climbing. It made sense, her family owned the local shrine. Of course everyone would know her. She turned a soft smile on her face, "Come on Ichigo no one's going to bite."

He realized he hadn't moved to follow her yet, feeling a mixture of trapped and curious he started climbing. When he reached the top he found himself fighting with the urge to pant, no wonder she had managed to keep up, all those stairs would keep anyone fit. Catching his breath he looked around the shrine, he saw several out buildings, the main shrine and the roof of a modern house behind all of that.

She gave him a minute before leading him back to the house, looking about in the dimming light he noticed the bike, the laundry lines, he was struck by how lived in it looked. He would have thought they tried to hide their lives from the shrine, keep it separate from the public. But given how friendly everyone was towards her and probably her family maybe that was why they were so popular.

Kagome walked to the door, he could tell it was a back door but he wouldn't protest it was her home after all. Her hand opened the door swiftly, the warm light spilled out and he was surprised by how welcoming it felt. Maybe it was because he hadn't been under a home's roof in months, odd buildings, porches, playgrounds, but not a proper home. She stepped in and he noted four pairs of feet, several pairs of shoes, but only four sizes. He didn't see five he expected five, her father, mother, brother and grandfather plus her, but there were only four pairs of feet. Did she not have a father? Ironic how alike their home lives seemed. Stepping into the house he saw Kagome step up to the linoleum floored kitchen and start talking to her mother. Closing the door softly he waited, he couldn't believe her mother would just let him stay, not after seeing his face. He was a monster, what mother would let her daughter bring one home?

**Kagome**

Kagome stepped up on the linoleum floor of the kitchen her mom was working on dinner, she had been thinking about how to say this but all she could come up with was to lay it all out. "Mom I'm sorry I failed to get what you asked me to, but I can explain."

Her mother turned, her expression was a mix of mildly annoyed and quizzical. "Something happen?"

Kagome shifted her feet it was easy to drag Ichigo home and she dearly wanted to help him, that jewel was evil and needed to be destroyed, but telling her mother she was involving herself in another adventure... "Mama I felt a feeling I haven't felt in a year. It felt like a jewel shard. So I chased it. When I finally reached it I found a boy... There is a jewel in him, and it's evil, but he's not. I want to help purify it, or remove it. It could taint him the longer it stays. So I brought him home."

Her mother nodded slowly. "Where is he?"

Kagome looked around and realized Ichigo was hiding by the door, he had suffered lot of fearful reactions that were negative she was guessing, he reminded her of Inuyasha in the beginning. Only he didn't hate her on sight. Which was good. Taking a few steps back towards the door she grabbed his shirt and dragged him in the kitchen, his hood was up and her mom was just staring so she knocked his hood down. Her mom twitched but other wise she didn't react. "So mom clearly he needs help because the wish that made the jewel evil is ruining his life."

Her mom slowly nodded before a crease appeared between her brows, "Well your grandfather did want some help before the summer festival. So if he's willing to work I see no problem."

Kagome heaved a sigh of relief, her mom didn't mind she had just brought home trouble. Then she saw Ichigo still had his shoes on, "Ichigo relax we won't throw you out the door, take your shoes off. Oh right, mom this is Kurosaki Ichigo."

Her mother nodded, "Pleased to meet you Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo slowly took his shoes off, he looked like he couldn't believe what was happing.

**Ichigo**

Taking his shoes off he wasn't sure he wasn't dreaming, the woman hadn't screamed, sighed or thrown anything at him. She had jumped surprised but then relaxed, all she cared was that he knew staying here wasn't completely free. Kagome came by her oddness naturally. But as it was to his befit he couldn't complain.

Kagome started to lead him from the kitchen, "I assume you would like to shower?"

He nodded his head, he hadn't a shower, a proper one in two weeks, a few spit baths, he'd been rained on, but a hot shower... Kagome was smiling at him, "Any clothes that need to be washed?"

He nodded again, he may hate stealing but one set of clothes wasn't good enough, he had a two pairs of pants, two more shirts, five more sets of underwear and eight or nine pairs of socks. Not much, but enough he could wash stuff and not be naked. Dropping his pack he grabbed the bag of dirty stuff, he still had a clean shirt and two pairs of underwear and more socks, but his pants, and the last shirt were filthy. She took the bag and heading into the living room, he was startled to see a teenage boy still in front of the TV. The boy hadn't noticed him, the boy looked up and caught sight of his sister. "Have fun at the movie? I thought you would be home sooner."

Then the boy saw him and after a startled look the boy grinned, and then turning to his sister he asked a bit of a non sequencer, "Another adventure?"

Kagome flushed, "Yes Souta, he has a Shikon no Tama in his chest, it's corrupt."

That meant something to the boy, his smile dropped. "You're going to help him?"

"Yeah, if I can. Ichigo this is my little brother Souta, Souta, Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Pleased to meet you. Do you like video games? Kagome won't play with me and it's boring by myself."

Ichigo marveled at the way this family reacted, Kagome like she knew what was wrong with him before she saw him, her mother not more then a jump, the boy a long look and then he was asking him to play with him. Did any of then note the long teeth on his face? The black and yellow eyes? Souta stood and grabbed his arm and started hauling him towards the staircase he hadn't noticed. The boy chattered like his sister Yuzu.

"So I have lots of games, wrestling, fighting, adventures, a zombie game, lots. What's your favorite type?"

"I'm not much for video games."

Souta nodded, "It's cool I don't mind beating you for a while."

"Souta show him the shower first!" Kagome called from behind them.

Souta made a face but answered readily enough, "Sure Kagome! So Ichigo what happened to you?"

"Souta leave him alone! He'll tell us when he's ready!"

Souta made a face again, but seemed mildly amused. Ichigo was just amazed she heard him, they were in the upstairs hall already. Souta opened the second door in the hall, "This is our humble bathroom, towels are in there, soap and such as well. We probably have a tooth brush for you if you don't have one. My room is over here, Kagome's is at the end of the hall, mom's around the corner."

Ichigo noted one door hadn't been mentioned, "And that one?"

Souta frowned, "My dad's old office, he died a long time ago so it's just storage at the moment... Though if you stay a while Mom might have you clear it out and we'll put you in there. Grandpa's on the ground floor. And ignore him when he slaps a sutra on you. He's useless. No powers."

Souta cleared his throat, "So help yourself to a shower, If you need some clean clothes I might be able to find something of Dad's that'll fit, he was tall like you according to photos. For tonight we'll probably have you sleep in the living room on a futon, after that it's up to mom. After you're clean if you want to play a game with me, I'll be in my room."

Ichigo blinked, this family sure threw a lot of information at you at once. "I need some pants, and a different shirt would be nice, I have underwear."

Souta nodded, "They'll be waiting outside the door for you."

Ichigo watched the boy probably not much older then the twins disappear into the office that might become his bedroom. This was such a change of pace he found himself wondering for a brief moment if he had lost it, snapped, gone totally insane. But when he turned around to go into the bathroom he managed to hit his elbow on the wall. The sharp throbbing pain, minor as it was, convinced him this was reality, strange as it seemed.

His shower was heavenly, it was only his own desire to be polite that made him leave before the hot water ran out. Opening the door he managed to surprise Kagome, the clothes were on the floor like Souta promised, but his hot sister standing there was a bonus. It had only been while she was talking about cleaning his clothes for him, he really realized she was a looker, plain brown eyes, ordinary black hair, average height bringing her to just mid chest. But she had a glow, rosy cheeks, a gleam in her eye, something made her scream beauty, but only on second look, other wise she seemed merely pretty.

Flushing furiously he realized he was standing in nothing but a towel, and she was staring. But not with horror like he had become accustomed to but with fascination. Looking at his chest he realized that stripes made no sense to her and the black circle on his chest was over the heart so it probably marked where the damn jewel was.

"Why did your enemy wish for you to look like this?" Kagome asked curiously.

He was about to snap it was none of her business when he half remembered she was doing him a favor but before he could open his mouth she scolded herself. "Sorry I don't actually need to know that."

Her take back was very different from the girls he knew most (his sisters being the exception) never took it back or said sorry. It was... rather attractive. "It was a sick joke on his part." He debated saying more but decided to only add, "Before I beat him I had an ability that if I lost control of I would look like this."

That was a little too much, more then he meant to say but considering how light headed he was feeling he had almost no control about what came out of his mouth. Besides, she hadn't made him answer and she said sorry. She nodded and then she seemed to realize he was just in a towel, she flushed and ran down the hall, "I'll let you get dressed now!"

Amused and still a little embarrassed he grabbed the clothes Souta had pulled and got dressed. The pants were about a size too big in the waist but the right length, the shirt was tight. Most guys had to work a lot to get a chest and arms like his, so the shirts he had grabbed fit like this or were two sizes too big. He walked down the stairs thinking about offering to help his hostess with dinner, but was surprised to almost walk into her. She looked at his clothes and he wondered if Souta had told her, her eyes seemed sad. "Those pants are a bit big and the shirt..."

The woman stared at his chest for a moment before a faint smile came to her lips, "My husband would have laughed and then been embarrassed- he always thought he was all that."

Glad the awkward moment had turned into a positive thing he found himself curious about the dead man of the house. "Not to be rude but when did he die?"

The woman smiled and he could see it was a sad one, "No problem Kurosaki-kun he died... ten almost eleven years ago. Souta was just a few days older then two."

"So soon it'll be the anniversary."

She nodded, "We have a festival, he loved the shrine, so I tried to make it a happy thing, all the neighbors come and at eight, the hour he died we have a moment of silence."

That was a strange way to mark the day, but he supposed having a picnic in the graveyard wasn't all that normal either. "My family marks the day my mother died by going to her grave for a picnic, so they sound similar enough." Crap where was his head? He hadn't meant to say that out loud.

The woman looked at him and seemed to realize he didn't want to say more. Smiling she spoke, "Dinner will be done in a few minutes I am going to get Father."

He nodded and turned to continue into the Kitchen when a gray, white and blue blur attacked him.

**Kagome**

Kagome sat on her bed flustered, she would have felt better if her blush had started to fade. But after having talked to the new house guest, in a towel, and having caught herself comparing all the bare chests she had seen and finding aside from the cursed outside he had the best chest she had ever seen.

She supposed it only made sense if she didn't mind dog ears, a wolf tail, and crushed briefly on Sesshomaru despite what looked like tattoos, and pointy elf ears. Why would something she knew to be fake, like his stripes, the red fur at his neck, wrists and ankles, the yellow on black eyes, bother her? She wondered what his normal eye color was, his hair was probably natural if this a was a form he had assumed when he lost control.

She sighed and touched her cheeks that were just starting to cool. "You couldn't just help him and not get attached. No you had to realized he probably is about the only person with in a few years of your age that would understand what death and violence really meant."

She heaved a sigh, it made sense so often she felt so far away from her age group, the movie this afternoon brought the point home. An action anime, it made sense there would be at least one big fight scene where blood spewed. But when her friends argued if blood could fly like that, she had to stop herself from answering. Bullets could send blood flying like that and she knew because things slower had sent it flying like that around her before. The only difference that might happen would be the size of the droplets.

Shaking her head she put past battles behind her; where they belonged and she went back to looking for the sutra's she had that had been Miroku's. He had been teaching her how use them and at the final battle her barriers had been unreliable at best without a sutra base. But considering she had just invited trouble home again she thought she should brush up, if using a banishing one didn't remove the jewel from Ichigo... He hadn't run from her, he had run from who he thought she might be connected to. Not that she knew who that was, but if someone had made the jewel and he had wild form like his current look, powers and the supernatural had to be involved.

Going through the stack of sutra's she placed the protective ones on her bed, she'd need a lot more if she had to protect the shrine, and probably edit them, keep all powers out? She's think on that later, grabbing the one she'd seen Miroku use to great effect she jumped up and hurried down the stairs just in time to see Grandpa hit Ichigo with a sutra of his own. His loud shout of 'Demon' echoed in the house.

Groaning she took a few steps deeper in the room, taking the strip of paper off Ichigo's forehead; he looked totally stunned, and confused. Ignoring her urge to flush at her new awareness of his body she focused on her Grandfather. She waved the paper at him and started scolding him, ignoring Souta's snickers. "Grandpa Ichigo's not a demon, he's a guest. Besides he's not even a demon, he's cursed by a Shikon no Tama."

Her grandfather looked at her, a gleam in his eyes, "So you plan to do your duty and free him of then?"

Rolling her eyes, she answered, "Of course, it's ruining his life."

She jumped at her grandfather's crow, "We'll make a proper shrine maiden out of you yet!"

Annoyed now, she huffed, "I might be a priestess but calling me a shrine maiden is rude."

"No it's not! A shrine maiden serves a shrine and this is yours! A priestess can be called to travel, or serve else where!"

"And what would you call my fifteenth year?"

"You were still serving this shrine! The Shikon no Tama could not be allowed to travel or continue to reck havoc!"

Kagome sighed, "Duh. That's why Ichigo's here, so leave him alone."

Her grandfather looked at the man she was protecting, and then sighed back, "If you insist Kagome."

"Dinner."

Kagome turned around at her mother's voice, she found herself only a few inches from Ichigo's chest, outlined very clearly by what she was guessing was a stolen shirt. It clearly didn't fit him well enough to be his, nor the pants. She was a little disconcerted to find for all Ichigo had shied away from her up till now he actually was eight or more inches taller then her. Again the conclusion he could have just kicked her ass and then ran came to mind, as well as her conclusion that he hadn't meant he was a good person. Looking up she found him frowning at her grandfather, he shook his head and walked away. Fighting a flush she sat at the dinner table, Ichigo sat next to her, Souta had his side of his table, Grandpa and Mom each had an end of the table. Blessing the table they dug in, Kagome was on her third bite when Ichigo complemented her mother, "You are the best cook I have tasted ever." He took another two bites and swallowed quickly, "My sister is a good cook, but yours is amazing."

Kagome was surprised by the smug pride she felt on behalf of her mother, her friends and admires said she cooked like her mother. Inuyasha had only ever wanted Ramen... There she was doing it again, comparing them. She didn't want to do that, she hated to be compared to Kikyo why on earth was she doing it to Ichigo? She supposed at least she wasn't doing it out loud.

She shouldn't have thought that, only eight bites later Souta made her almost choke.

"So which do you think is cooler, dog ears or black and yellow eyes?"

Ichigo stopped eating and looked up confused again.

To her horror her mother seemed to be considering the question seriously. "The eyes are shocking, and very nice but ears win, you could pet them."

Her grandfather piped up now, "I like this boy better, Inuyasha always over reacted when I attacked."

Kagome gave up, dropping her chop sticks she groaned and hid her face in her hands.

Souta snicked, and her older family went on eating, Souta followed suit when she made it clear she wasn't going to say anything. Ichigo had to ask, "Why are dog ears in the equation?"

Kagome looked up, her family was staring at her and after a moment Ichigo joined in. "Because..." She hesitated, "I have a habit of bring home strays."

At that moment Kurohime walked in, with a loud meow she announced herself.

Souta groaned, "You brought the evil one down on me."

Kagome scowled, Souta mocked Kurohime but after Buyo died she had been walking home and noticed a box on a street corner looking inside she found a black kitten with a black and white kitten, missing the warm weight of her dead cat she brought them home. The black one turned out to be a girl and she named her Kurohime, or black princess, and the princess' brother had been named Roukou or trouble prince. They had lived up to their names. Or rather proved why she had named them such. Roukou followed his sister in, but unlike her he didn't ignore the stranger, walking right up to Ichigo he sniffed him curiously.

Ichigo looked down at him and Roukou considered him before deciding he wasn't a threat. Sitting down right beside him, he started grooming himself. The cat's judgement oddly confirmed what Kagome had been thinking, Ichigo had to be a good guy. Buyo ignored but never liked Inuyasha but that might have the dog demon thing.

Dinner finished rather quietly, helping her mother with the dishes, her grandfather and Souta helped Ichigo make his bed for the night in the living room. Everything set for the night Kagome went out to the living room and was disappointed to find out her male family members were still up, both of them talking to Ichigo. "Hey Ichigo I could try my first idea tonight."

He frowned up at her and then realized she meant attacking jewel, he nodded, "What do I need to do?"

"Sit up, and sit still I'm not sure this will work. I haven't used them like this before." Ichigo merely nodded, not seeming afraid at all. Kneeling next to him, she closed her eyes to focus on powering the sutra ignoring the curious eyes of her family. They had pretty much never seen her use her power before after all. Feeling sutra burn with power in her hands she opened her eyes and touched the pink glowing strip of paper to his chest. Right away it was fight, the black purple light blazed, sharp, angry, and fighting her. The sutra started to smoke unable to hold up to the opposing forces, feeling her hands start to burn she grimaced, but pushed more power out, Ichigo shouldn't have to live with that in his soul.

Finally the sutra turned to ash and the evil power lashed out at her again, slicing the outsides of her hands, the inside of her hands had first and second degree burns and the outside looked like they had been sliced with razors. The pain had her shaking her hands before she realized this jewel conscious as it was, didn't want to go back to sleep. Or be removed from Ichigo. Shaking her hands trying to fight the sting, she belated realized she was just splattering blood about the room. Stopping she ignored everyone making a fuss, at least everyone but Ichigo, he was just looking at her.

If she had describe the look in his eyes, it was mingled despair, hope and admiration.

But that last part might be in her head.

Letting her mother bandage her hands in the kitchen Ichigo watched from his place where he was leaning against the wall. Her mother finished and left the room a sly glance making it clear to Kagome her mother had noticed she liked him. Holding back a groan she looked back to Ichigo, he was frowning but not in a way that made her think he was unhappy, just a thinking sort of frown. He spoke abruptly, "You know the more you try to rid me of it the more it'll fight right?"

"Duh, I didn't think it would back down after last time I touched you."

He scowled at the mention of her bleeding in the alley. "Why are you doing this? I don't see what you get out of it."

"A friend hopefully, some less slave labor I have to do... Someone else to listen to Grandpa's stories. And because it's the right thing to do."

He heaved a sigh, "It's gonna hurt."

"Of course."

"No I mean more then the jewel could hurt you."

Kagome looked at him carefully, "I know, you're on the run right?"

He nodded shortly, pain in his body language.

She nodded again, "I figured you weren't running from just me earlier, I'm not much of threat by myself, but if you thought... Well I was connected to someone else it made more sense to run."

He nodded again and there was a brief moment of silence, Kagome stood and hid the grimace when she bumped her hands, "Good Night Ichigo. See you in the morning."


	2. Chapter 2

**Can't Stop Running**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha, don't own Bleach, so I don't own anything. So I admit it's another Bleach Inuyasha crossover done beauty and the beast style, I can't help it. I love the idea, and beauty and the beast is just so much fun to write. By the way Ichigo's form is that of his hollow in his last fight with Ulquiorra.**

**Wow! Ten reviews in the first fourteen hours of a story's life? This has got to be rewarded.**

**To ain'tgotnone I would love to finish Everyone's Dead and then be posting these other stories, however that doesn't seem to be happening, so since this story is one chapter away from being finished I thought I'd start posting. Besides I started this in July or maybe it was June.**

**Chapter Two**

**July 17th Ichigo**

Ichigo was deeply asleep when something hit his side, his first half formed thought was that it was his dad, but the next half a second that thought was gone because of the scream Demon woke him up the rest of the way. His eyes open he brought his hands up and caught Kagome's grandfather before he managed to stick the sutra to his forehead. He realized the man had tripped over him on his way to the kitchen. Hearing the feet running down the stairs he held in a groan, first Kagome appeared at the bottom of the stairs, she held an arrow, kinda a random weapon but if that's all she had... Then he noted she had on shorts, short shorts at that and a slightly over large shirt but he was pretty sure she wasn't wearing a bra underneath. That sunk in and he looked away, no ogling the only person who might be able to help. Besides it's not like he was anything to look at, as pretty as she was she was sure to have choice of boys. But with legs like hers it's no wonder she had run him down.

Souta appeared behind Kagome and their mother a step behind that, realizing he was about all that was holding the old man up he set him to the side on his own two feet. The awkward silence was broken by Kagome laughing. After a few seconds she had stopped but her brother and mother were still laughing, embarrassed he was glad for his freakishness because for all he felt like blushing his new skin wouldn't allow it.

"I think you need your own room so we don't wake up this way again." Kagome stated kindly.

Her mother and brother nodded, the old man nodded, "This was not what I wanted to wake up too, tea was more like it."

Ichigo scoffed, "Like I want to wake up to being attacked." Inside he had to admit he was angry with himself, he had let his guard down- last time that happened he woke up having died again. Of course getting out of there he had died two more times and when he finally stopped to sleep he had slept a whole day away, but he hadn't slept so deeply since that first time. Nothing like waking to watch your arm finished attaching it's self.

Of course he had run himself out yesterday trying to get away from Kagome, but he should have known better. Standing he started folding, grandpa, no one would tell him his name or what to call him and he wasn't even sure the name was Higurashi considering Kagome's mom called him father. So he was just calling him grandfather too, walked the rest of the ten feet to the kitchen. Kagome and her brother went upstairs to get dressed, Kagome's mother who he thus far called Higurashi-san paused on the stairs, "Kurosaki-kun when you've dressed and we've all had breakfast Kagome will help you clean out the office, her hands are likely bad enough she can't do much more then eat without bleeding, so don't let her help you lift anything please?"

He nodded, a tinge of guilt taking over, her hands were his fault...

"Don't worry about it."

He blinked stymied for a moment, then he realized some how the woman had realized he was feeling guilty, that was weird it wasn't like his face had the normal human markers, like eyebrows. Nodding he went back to work folding the bed things, when he finished he went to the down stairs bathroom to change, the pants from the night before on and then one of his stolen but now clean shirts. Pulling the hoody on he sighed, being too hot sucked but he was worried that someone who came over would see him if he wasn't wearing it ready to pull it up at any moment. Kagome and her family didn't care but he was betting that anyone who came over would. Walking into the kitchen he found Mrs. Higurashi had come down while he was changing and was cooking breakfast, grandpa was sipping tea calm as could be. Looking at the man he noted he had to be old, one didn't get hands that wrinkled without it, and his gray hair and old fashion way of talking agreed with that assessment. But he had seen him move fast, not inhumanly fast but far too fast for someone as old as his body said, it had him wondering if the old man had powers of an internal sort, augmented speed and strength. Kagome walked in the kitchen and in silence she carefully pulled out dishes and set them on the table, he felt bad when he saw her wince, he stepped closer, "Kagome let me help you with that."

She let him take the dishes and helped him lay them out on the table for breakfast. That done she made him sit while she help her mother moving the finished things to the table, Souta walked in and sat dow with him and grandpa at the table. Ichigo felt strange, not left out but once again amazed, these people just let him join them, no questions, no demands just acceptance. Grandpa was drinking his tea and reading the newspaper he hadn't finished the night before, Souta was making a list, this was so much calmer then his family mornings, maybe it had been like this when his mom was alive but the twins had been babies and had all those crying moments... No his life hadn't ever been this calm, it felt strange, he hadn't changed but for this moment everything around him had.

Kagome's mother brought the last dish to the table and quickly everyone dug in, Ichigo had almost forgotten his speculations about grandpa when the man knocked his tea over, with a swiftness that belied his age, he leapt to his feet and avoided getting splashed with tea. Kagome's mother helped him clean it up and when he had a new thing of tea and was back at the table Ichigo couldn't help but ask. "Okay so what are you? I know how old people move and even if you're fit you shouldn't have been able to do that."

The old man looked at him perfectly calmly while his family merely looked confused, Kagome opened her mouth about to say something but the old man answered, "I'm the grandson of a Shinigami."

Ichigo blinked slowly, his father wasn't the first one to break away from Soul Society and have children?

"Grandpa Shinigami aren't real." Kagome said this but even as she said it she was looking at him suspiciously. She had noticed he'd reacted to that answer, but why was she taking that into consideration? You had to see souls for it to matter.

Breakfast was finished quickly after that and then Ichigo followed Kagome back up to the office, looking in he saw the box of clothes Souta had opened for the pants he was wearing. Kagome went over to the only open wall and leaned against it, she had been annoyed when her mother told her not to over do it, it was already a little late her bandages were speckled with blood, but Ichigo wasn't going to tell her to stop. Not with his own history for over doing it.

With her directions he started moving stuff out into the hall or piling it against a wall like stack, on the far wall opposite where she was leaning. While working he noticed between telling him what to do Kagome seemed annoyed, watching her flex her hand he realized she was unhappy she couldn't help him. She didn't like stand idol.

"Sorry about your hands."

She froze and then blinked at him, then to his surprise she smiled sheepishly. "Don't feel bad. I could tell right away the sutra wasn't strong enough, but I didn't give up. It's totally my fault my hands are wrecked. Of course it's not the first time they been like this."

Against his better judgement he asked, "What do you mean?"

She chewed her lip before answering much the way he probably had the night before in the hall, "I had an accident with acid one time and I am an archer, and I don't wear gloves, that can wreck your finger tips if you're in a hurry or are firing lots of arrows at once."

Ichigo nodded, "I've seen what that can do, I have a friend who's an archer."

She looked at him, and he was struck again by how easily she looked at his face, it wasn't like she'd had time to get use to this face of his, she just was. There wasn't even a half second of hesitation or a flinch, it was like she didn't see the grinning sharp teeth, or the evil cast to his features.

"What is he like?"

"He's a smug asshole. He loves rubbing things he knows but I don't in my face, he..." Ichigo remembered see Ishida laying on the ground in Hueco Mundo bleeding from where he was sure his hollow form had stabbed him. Trying to stop him.

"He's someone you would die for."

The calm way she stated it, the fact she had read it in his face or body or whatever, it was eerie. But he wasn't going to lie. "Yeah."

Kagome tilted her head back a soft and slightly sad look on her face, "You must miss him."

Ichigo nodded, the terrible grief, and fear he tried to ignore rising against his bidding at her words. He missed everyone, and it hurt him so damn much to know if he could see any of his friends for just a moment the only thing he would see on their faces would be pain and grief, things he put there. And if they saw him it would hatred.

Kagome spoke her voice breaking the grip his pain had on him, he caught the wistfulness in hers along with longing and and aching pain he related to all too well.

"I had friends I would die for, they would have done the same."

He frowned, it sounded like they were dead. "What happened to them?"

She twitched and her gaze was back to meeting his eyes and there was certain sharpness to them that made him think her answer was leaving a lot out.

"They have moved and are gone from my reach."

That still sounded like they had died, but if that was the case why didn't she just say it? The ache in her face made him ache in return, that pain looked like his, and he couldn't handle his, adding hers wasn't in the cards. "Where do I put this box?"

She smirked, and he said nothing else, waiting. "What's in it?" her tone implied if he was going to change the subject he could have done better. Opening the box he saw papers and reading the first one he answered, "Shrine records."

"Along the wall then."

He nodded and added it to the line of boxes piling up, turning back to the unsorted pile of boxes his eyes caught on a calender, this years lying open on the desk, if the Xed out days were days that had passed today was the seventeenth of July, his birthday had been two days ago. "I've been sixteen for two days."

Kagome made a noise half tripping over a box, "What?"

Ichigo turned towards her feeling a bit numb and a little annoyed he had known he'd missed the anniversary of his mother's death but to know he'd missed his birthday too? Had he been so absorbed in running? The answer was yes, the day of his birthday it had been an encounter with the second squad lieutenant. He'd been lucky that day and managed to hitch a ride on the roof of a train to Tokyo while loosing the idiot of a man. "My birthday was two days ago, I had lost track."

"Oh." Kagome silent for a moment before she added, "My birthday is in September."

"What day?"

"The twenty fourth."

"How old will you be?" Ichigo was curious he knew she was within a year or two of his age because she had talked about school over dinner last night since it was starting up in a month, but he didn't know exactly, just looking at her he would have put her older, the way she moved, the way she talked, everything spoke of experience. She sorta made him think of his Shinigami friends, the weight of time, sometimes could bee seen on them too.

"I turn seventeen."

He nodded, "What grade?"

"I should be in Senior but I'm a Junior the year my father died I did badly and was held back a grade, I don't really mind because it makes me one of the oldest in class."

He ignored the small surge of something in his veins, his feelings towards this girl took third place, first he was a monster and second she was the only thing that could give him a chance to go home. "So we'd be in the same grade."

Then he remembered he hadn't been in school almost all of the last year, and he'd already missed the start of this year. He was smart and with bit of studying he'd have no trouble catching up... he hoped. Kagome however amazed him again.

"Worrying about your grades hun? Sucks to miss school, you never know if everyone will have suddenly surpassed you, and you can't help but wonder if you'll ever catch up."

"Sounds like you've missed some school your own."

She grinned, again it was wistful. "You better bet on it. Adventures are hell on school work. That first jewel was just as nasty as the one in your chest. Not to mention the man who'd been after it for so long. That was one evil bastard." The angry look faded and she laughed, "His bad habits have rubbed off."

"Who's?"

She shrugged and answered vaguely, "One of my friends had a potty mouth. I find I swear more then I used to."

He nodded and spent the next three hours working, but when he was done and together with Kagome behind him, heading down for lunch he was pleased; he now had his own room to sleep in, and he'd sorted out clothes that might fit him from the old boxes. He had worked hard, and he had managed to keep from letting Kagome help too much.

**Kagome**

Kagome tried to keep from fiddling, she was surprised by the depth of her desire to help Ichigo. She wanted to help him before, she liked him before she had done more then learn his name, but now... She really liked him and she wanted to make it all better for him. He'd sounded so sad in the office, it almost made her ache for him, she knew how some of it felt but to face it all at once. He was so so very brave.

He deserved better.

She took a deep breath blew it out watching as her grandfather took Ichigo out to show him more of the shrine. Her mother turned to her, having noticed her impatience. "What?"

Kagome grinned and then let it fade, "His birthday was two days ago, can I take him out to hold the bags for me and to get him a few new things?"

Her mother smiled, "Yes you can, I wanted him to go with you any way so you can let your hands rest."

Kagome nodded, and stood planning to head to her room to grab a different set of shorts and her purse, her mother's voice stopped her. "He's very gentle."

Kagome thought over her interactions with him, he was but it wasn't kindness that dictated his actions, "No mom he's very careful." It was fear. Heading to her room she found herself thinking over the boy out in the yard hiding under a hood. He was afraid, resigned, and hopeful. And sad, very sad. The only thing that stop his mixed emotions from being so like Inuyasha was there was no anger, or bitterness to add heat to mix. It was a cold mix.

Which was strange, with his hair, his eyes and that strange fur, all bright burning colors... Maybe that was what drew her in, she wanted to see him burn. She had a feeling he was passionate person, but the events in his life were dragging him down and killing his zest for life. Wearing clothes that weren't cleaning clothes, a couple hundred from the safe for Ichigo's clothes and Souta's presents, she struggled into her shoes and walking out heading back where she could hear her grandfather talking to Ichigo and Souta.

"...and that is how we came by the legendary bowl of Demon's Blood."

Kagome stifled a smirk that was probably the only artifact she could honestly say it was true in the whole shrine, she after all had her own encounter with it, meaning she knew it's providence. Walking into the storage room she spoke up, "Grandpa when are you going to put it out for display so you can stop dragging people back here to brag about it?"

"Kagome you are the one that told me the dirty bowl in the auction was a really demon artifact!"

"And it is so it should be on display and not in the dirty storage shed."

Her grandfather pouted at her before a gleam came to his eyes, "I had said only needed someone to built it for me..." He turned to Ichigo with intent so she stepped in, "He can do it tomorrow because he has to come with me so he can carry bags."

Ichigo looked at her a little alarmed, "Shopping?"

Seeing he was worried about crowds and a curious, noisy people who might try to look under his hood, she did her best to sooth him, "Ichigo it's not going to be a big deal, people are a lot more curious about loners in dark clothing at shopping centers then a girl and her goth friend. Besides I don't want to have to carry those bags alone."

The slumped to his shoulders told her she had won. She could be gracious in victory though, "Anything you need to grab?"

His hood nodded. "It won't take more then a minute," his duel tone told her he wasn't happy he sounded mostly normal while talking other wise, only a little gravelly. She watched him disappear into the house and he quickly came back out a much slimmer backpack then yesterday on his back. He reached her side quickly and she lead the way down the stairs, they would get his clothes first, then Souta's stuff and then the little extra her mom needed for dinner tonight. It was probably half a block from the shrine stairs where she dared to give voice to the question bothering her at the back of her mind. "Why did you need your backpack?"

The opening that hid his face glanced her way, "I needed my sword."

Kagome frowned, "Why?"

"They seem to find me after a week or two the smaller the city the faster it happens, but there have been times where I was just too close and the jewel couldn't resist drawing them in."

"So the jewel is... broadcasting your location?"

"Yeah. That sounds about right. So not bother you but you have two weeks before I leave."

She nodded, "Smart to grab your sword I can't remember the number of times I forgot my bow and was forced to hang around helplessly."

They reached the store Kagome thought Ichigo would like, it was a specialty store they sold punk, rocker and goth clothes, she figured this was Ichigo's type of store. Her brother was sporty, relaxed, jeans and any old t-shirt but Ichigo... Kagome ignore the small voice inside her head that sounded like Miroku telling her she just wanted him in better fitting pants and sexier tees then her dad's old stuff. She also ignored the sense of **If** Miroku was here he might just slap her on the back and tell her she did him proud.

Ichigo slouched and grumbled out, "What are you getting your brother from here?"

"We're not getting him anything here. I heard your birthday was two days ago and me and mom were already planning on getting you a few things. So grab two pairs of jeans, three or four shirts, and anything else you need."

The dark hole that had swallowed Ichigo's striped face whipped around towards her and his odd duel tone came back in a low hiss. "What are you talking about?! You don't need to buy me clothes!"

Kagome smiled, she was going to get her way in this. "I want to, and you're going to try on things for me. If you don't pick things out I will. If you ask my brother me playing dress up with you is the worst thing to suffer through."

Ichigo as staring at her from under the hood, she could feel his eyes on her, duel tone still in his voice he growled out, "You could have taken me to a second hand store and I would be just as happy."

She grinned brightly, he had such a cute temper, no this boy in front of her had no pride, it was nothing like that. "Tough, besides as the owner is personal friend we happen to have permission to get things, everything at twenty percent off."

Ichigo was still staring but his shoulders were relaxing, he wasn't looming over her the way he had before, he knew he was taller then her and clearly was used to using his body to intimidate people into getting his way. "That's an awfully good friend."

Kagome shrugged, "First of all he's really a third cousin and second if you believe him I saved his life last year."

Now Ichigo's body screamed taken aback. "How did you do that?"

A voice from behind them spoke up, "First by modeling for me for an in store show and then that very same day she stopped me twice from dying, first from falling in traffic after dinner, and second she treated my head wound on sight when I fell down stairs trying to get to my apartment."

"Eito-kun, it wasn't that hard you were drunk and second I'm your cousin the odd shopping bonus would have been cool but the lifetime thing was weird.

"You really did save my life every doctor, nurse, and EMT said if not for you knowing what to do I would have died."

Kagome rolled her eyes, of course she knew what to do, she had read medical school books from the library and had a chance to practice a time or two. "Ichigo needs some clothes I'm paying as a late present."

Her cousin waved his hands, "And you thought of me!"

"Yes I did, now just let us shop and..."

"Kagome I'm not so busy as to ignore my own cousin! Come with me!" He grabbed Ichigo's jacket and pulled them deeper in the store. Ichigo quickly broke free but followed the man any way, Eito quickly started pulling things t-shirts, a scull tee, a sarcastic shirt with the quote seemingly written in fake blood, then stopping by the pants her cousin stared at what he was wearing.

"Those aren't your pants are they?"

Ichigo shook his head, "Had to barrow them because my others are dirty."

Eito nodded, "You like your pants tight right?" Ichigo nodded so he pulled some straight leg black jeans in a couple of fits and sizes, along with some dark indigo ones that Kagome found the idea of them on Ichigo's body appealing. No she admitted it to herself, she was drooling. Miroku was possessing her, that was the only way she was drooling over a boy who needed her help.

Ichigo quickly took the clothes and disappeared off to the fitting rooms, Eito turned on her, "Who is he, where did you meet him, and has he asked you out yet?"

Kagome blinked and then blushed furiously, "He's Ichigo Kurosaki, he's staying at the shrine to help out and no he hasn't because he needs help, he's in a bit of trouble."

Her cousin stared at her, she hadn't remembered him very well when Grandpa and mom started talking about him coming back to Tokyo and opening his store. But the last year after she saved his life they'd become friends. Not that he had a clue how strange she really was, but considering he was thirty-one and she was turning seventeen their friendship was a bit strange as well. Eito looked at her a bit longer, "Why were you almost drooling? I've never seen you like that about a boy, and I know you've met models and famous people. You've met some of them here..."

Kagome shifted and admitted it out loud for the first time, "He reminds me of Inuyasha but without some of the negatives."

"Ahh, the famous Inuyasha who I've never met much less seen a picture of."

Kagome shrugged and ignored the speculative gaze, looking at the clothes about them.

"What's his hair color?"

Kagome blinked at the change in topic, "Orange."

Other then a raised eyebrow her cousin shrugged, and went back to the shirts. She couldn't help herself but went to look at the girls stuff, she had a thing for lacy dresses but they were hard to find in anything other then white. Which was not a color she liked. Seeing a vivid purple one she couldn't help herself she grabbed it in her size and slipped into a changing room pulling it over her head she grinned in the mirror, tugging it straight she loved the way it felt against her skin, soft cotton lace, with a silky lining, it felt light and airy, the deep vi showed her figure off to the best advantage and the just above the knee hemline was flattering without being revealing. The way it was just lace sleeves in a flutter sleeve was something else she liked. Then she heard her cousin knock on Ichigo's changing room next to her, "Kurosaki I have some more for you." then she heard to door open.

Gasping she flung her door open and seeing her cousin standing in the doorway looking dumbfounded she rushed forward and shoved him in, her hand covering his mouth. Only then did she look to see what he had seen. Ichigo was shirtless he'd been fighting with his hoody but hadn't made it. Ignoring the warmth in her stomach at the sight she turned back to her cousin who was staring at her stunned, he was a little afraid but he wasn't going to scream. Probably.

"Eito, like I said he needs a little bit of help and I'm the only one who can help him. Now you won't scream or shout or anything will you?"

He shook his head slowly under her hand, so she removed her hand. Eito looked from her to Ichigo and back again, "Dare I ask?"

She smiled, that was her cousin, calm and cool under pressure. This was just a new kind. "Ichigo for lack of a better word is under a spell, he was put under it by an enemy, I am pretty much the last practicing priestess for fifty years or more. I am probably the only one who can help him."

Eito nodded slowly and looked back to Ichigo, he opened his mouth to ask but decided to stop, "I don't want to know. So which jeans do you like best?"

Ichigo relaxed, almost seeming to slump against the wall. "I haven't finished, I have to be careful." He flexed his now bare hands, his gloves having come off, revealing the sharp claws.

Her cousin nodded, "Okay I have a few more shirts, and another type of jeans for you."

Ichigo nodded, "Leave them I'll try them on."

Her cousin nodded and placed them on the bench, "I'll get you a new hoody or two as well."

An hour later Kagome walked out of the store, Ichigo a few steps behind her all his new clothes, the black jeans and the dark ones along with some almost white ones her cousin pulled because he was having a buy two get one sixty precent off sale, and then he had four more shirts, the sarcastic one, a deep blue one, one white one, and last but not least a gray one that looked like it had been splattered with paint. The two hoodies had been pulled from the clearance area so they were pretty cheap, one white one so he wouldn't have to bake in the black one he already had and the other new one was dark gray with a scull on it. Ichigo had insisted on pitching his money in since he was getting so much, he had tried to hide the packages of boxers, and the socks, but she had seen. But since it was more then she'd been planing on getting him she didn't fight. He'd have clothes that fit the way he wanted and that was good enough for her. She found herself very glad he had to carry it all, her hands, the little bit she had used them today, were very tender, she was worried she wouldn't heal good enough or fast enough to do the demonstration like she had planned for a show.

Walking to the next store Kagome found herself smiling, she liked feeling him walking next to her. It was nice to find something, someone that felt like an equal.

**Ichigo**

He was dead tired, it was only five and the sun wouldn't set for... hell if he knew, a couple hours? But considering his day started at six and as hard as he'd run the day before he wasn't surprised. He hated to say it but having Kagome fight with him over getting him clothes had felt nice, it was companionship, something he'd missed horribly. It amused him went he'd tried to talk her out of getting him clothes she had fought tooth and nail, but when he just insisted he should pay for part of it she didn't say more then if he was sure.

He knew pretty much no one, not even his nakama could read him this well. This family knew what to say, when to say it, and when to back the hell off. It impressed him, Rukia probably the closest thing to girlfriend he had, Tatsuki didn't count, couldn't pick her battles so well. He didn't kid himself, he wasn't the easiest person to get on with, hell he was down right argumentative, but just because he enjoyed a fight didn't mean he want to about everything, but that was what happened with Rukia it seemed. If there wasn't a fight before hand she'd punish him later it seemed.

They had reached the shrine steps and started up them when Kagome stopped dead in front of him hearing a low groan, he looked up. Her body was tense and angry?

"Hojo." Her voice rang with false brightness.

When had he started picking out her feelings with just a tone? The boy she was greeting was a normal, perfectly normal and handsome- boy.

Finding himself annoyed he reminded himself of his own thoughts earlier, she was pretty enough she could have any guy she wanted.

"Kagome! I thought I missed you."

Unless he was wrong, she wished he had, her fists wouldn't be clenched other wise, no matter her polite tone, she didn't talk to this boy like he was a friend.

"Oh sorry I was running about some shops for my mom."

The boy focused on him clearly trying to see past the shadow his hood created, "And who's your friend?"

Kagome glanced at him, her expression a mix of annoyed and hopeful. If she hoped he'd save her she was out of luck, he wasn't going to say much, not if she wanted this boy to ever talk to her again. "His name's Kurosaki Ichigo, he's going to help out with the festival."

Hojo nodded slowly, Ichigo could see the boy was trying to access if he was a threat to the wimpy boy's claim. He stepped down to the same step as Kagome brushing by her, he wasn't blind, he noted the brief flicker down to Kagome's chest, but then the boy was back to looking at him and offering his hand. "Hojo Kazuhiko."

Ichigo took the offered hand and felt the boy start squeezing, realizing what the boy was testing he didn't hold back, he squeezed back harder, seeing the pain on the other boy's face he then gave the hand two quick pumps before letting go, glad his hood hid his face so he could grin freely, not to quote Byakuya but this boy couldn't try to out muscle him in a thousand years.

Kagome grinned brightly having seen what just took place, "Sorry to run Hojo but I have to get the food in Ichigo's backpack to mom, so see you some other time."

Then grabbing his arm she pulled him up the stairs as fast as she could get him to run.

Reaching the top they both stopped to pant, Ichigo couldn't help but snicker between breaths, Kagome had just run from Hojo just like Orihime had been known to run from Chizuru. Kagome shoved at his shoulder, "Shut up."

Ichigo snickered louder.

"Come on it's not that funny, I've been putting him off for two years now, why can't he get a clue?!"

"Really two years? He's serious about dating you then."

Kagome bobbed her head, "Yeah it's his last year of high school, so he's been getting worse."

Ichigo ignored the fact he felt something at the realization it wasn't just guys in her class chasing her, but older guys at that.

Kagome straightened, "Hand me the food."

Ichigo went to hand her the small bag of food from his backpack when he realized her having tugged on his arms the way she had, made her bleed. "Can't you're bleeding."

She glanced at her hands sourly, but nodded and lead the way to the house.

**July 18th **

Kagome spent the day trying not to seem bored watching everyone else work about the house, Ichigo was building the display for her grandfather, her Mother was working around the shrine and taking calls from vendors for the Festival, Souta doing what needed to be done and checking with his friends to make sure of who was coming and who wasn't. She sat around in the house and thought about how best to protect the shrine if Ichigo's pursuers caught up with him here. And tried not to pay any attention to the fact her eyes jumped to Ichigo every time he entered whatever room she was in.

By the end of the day she was ready to cry victory and surrender.

She surrendered to the fact she was very, very attracted to Ichigo, and who wouldn't be? Super polite no, but his actions spoke louder then his voice, he helped her mother and grandfather, was nice to her brother and did his best to make sure she didn't carry anything and start bleeding again. His actions were considerate and efficient. His words marginally polite. Not out and out rude but not warm. But the moments he paused for a break, a sip of water, lunch, he seemed so sad. He made her ache for for him, that pain that looked so like her own, when you had friends you would die for, and you couldn't see them, couldn't talk to them, it was like someone cut a hole in you.

And he had other problems on top of that, he didn't even have his family to help him through it. He had to be in agony.

She was also ready to cry victory, she had figured out two different sutras that she could use together and probably protect the shrine from any damage that could happen if it came to a fight.

So at the end of the day, laying in her bed, she figured the day had ended in a draw.

**July 19th **

Ichigo was amazed, he to his surprise, found he really liked living here. He had a roof over his head, clean clothes, food, hot showers. People to talk to who weren't afraid of him. People who didn't ask what he'd had to do to survive till now. He felt safe, welcome, and dare he say it, at home. Who wouldn't? The Higurashi's knew how to make a person at home. But even as all those feelings were there, all the good feelings he hadn't felt in months, he even laughed. It seemed like that was all Kagome could get out of him, laughs, snickers, and smiles. Her pout when she tripped, her sour looks at getting told to put whatever she held down, her unwillingness to admit her hands bothered her...

He was homesick.

Desperately.

He hadn't been homesick the whole time he trained to get Rukia back, the whole time he run through soul society even when he was dying he only thought about Rukia and losing. Maybe it was because he knew he could go back or they weren't worried, or... maybe it was because he didn't have the time, on the move or unconscious, fighting or recovering.

He was a fighter he accepted that, he knew he was independent, stubborn... but of all the words he had thought of when he thought of himself homesick wasn't one of them. He wished he could just call but he wasn't sure the jewel, or as he found himself often thinking 'the damned thing' wouldn't make it sound like Aizen taunting them. That thought was more then he could bare. Not talking to them was a hole, growing, inside him. But the thought of trying to comfort them and hurting them more...

That made him remember Aizen's last words to him.

Suffer.

Ha. He had known pain, guilt, agony. But Aizen was right, this was a different kind of suffering, the kind that wore you down, broke you. His mother's death had been a weight, a chain tying him tight, but this was a pound being added every day. He stole, he lied, he hid, and until Kagome came along he had absolutely no one to talk to and every day he knew his continued existence tortured his friends, his father, Karin. Yuzu.

But worse he felt guilty because for the first time in almost a year, he almost felt like he could sleep without waking two or three times, to check. He didn't look out the windows every half an hour, he was relaxed and it frightened him. He knew so little about this family and this girl who claimed to be his last hope. But somehow it seemed like enough and that... that was even scarier.

"Ichigo dinner!"

He looked away from the display table he was sanding, surprised, had he really spent that much time on this? He looked around, it was dark but for the lamp he had turned on to do some detail work. He really had. Oops. "I'll be a minute I need to wash up!"

Kagome appeared in doorway and smiled at him, her eyes drifted over his mostly assembled table, he'd cut it to match the others, then he'd sanded it down, put it together and sanded it again. He'd paint it tomorrow. Standing he found the thoughts he'd been fighting with drifting away, Kagome was smiling at him, he had hot food waiting on him, and conversation.


	3. Chapter 3

**Can't Stop Running**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha, don't own Bleach, so I don't own anything. So I admit it's another Bleach Inuyasha crossover done beauty and the beast style, I can't help it. I love the idea, and beauty and the beast is just so much fun to write. **

**I admit it. I'm bribable. Twelve reviews! That's it I've got to put the third chapter up. So keep in mind I have two more chapters done and I'm almost done with the sixth chapter so keep reviewing and you'll see chapters faster.**

**Special thanks to DejectedBlithe for my twelfth new review.**

**Chapter Three**

**July 20th **

Ichigo walked out of the shed where he had just finished putting the second coat of varnish on the table, today he'd spent more time sweeping the other sheds out then working on the table but he'd been mildly dismayed to have only seen Kagome at breakfast and lunch. And at lunch she had made everyone cut a finger and bleed five drops of blood in a bowl. She wouldn't tell them what it was for, just that she was trying something.

Stretching he paused to enjoy the sun, it seemed strange to be enjoying something so simple, but he had to say spending time with the Higurashis, who's first words at lunch seemed to be about the tree almost everyday, simple things seemed more important. Hearing a thump he turned around and hearing another one around the side of the shed he peeked around the corner; he found Kagome looking frustrated, hands still covered in bandages spotted with blood and ink trying to paste a sutra on the side.

"First of all what are you doing? And second do you need any help?"

**Kagome**

Hearing the questions she turned looking down at him from the ladder she was standing on, her hands hurt, and she hoped she remembered correctly what Miroku had told her about the dangers of adding blood to the ink used in sutras. She only remembered something about adding blood to ink was only done when you fighting people with powers like yours, like a dark miko's. But she didn't remember enough to be willing to risk her family being rejected by the Sutra's, so everyone, even Souta and her mother, and no matter what her grandfather's 'powers' might be the sutra's wouldn't harm them. Ichigo's had to be in there because it was his enemies, she just also hoped she had it such any misdirected would only boost the sutra's not damage them, since his blood was in the ink she figured it should work...

"I'm putting sutras up so if your friends hunting you show up, you can fight and nothing will be damaged."

Ichigo's hood tilted slightly, "You can do that?"

Kagome flushed. "In theory? We'll need to test it but the odds are more on a fight burning them out faster then the fight finishing."

His head moved slowly, then his soft voice pointed out the obvious, "You're over working your hands, you're bleeding and if you're going to shoot for the festival you need your hands."

Kagome sighed, "I know but this needs to be done. I won't risk damaging the shrine." She turned back to the sutra she was powering and placing under the eaves of the roof.

His voice interrupted her again, "I know I'm causing you all sorts of trouble but you need to stop pushing yourself, you're only hurting yourself."

The undertone of concern had her heart beating faster, traitorous thing. She turned back to him and the wobbly ladder started to tip, it was her own fault putting it so close to the shed where the ground wasn't level. Flinching and her eyes half closing in reflex she was surprised to feel hard, but warm arms close around her.

Mentally noting the firm muscle under her hand that grabbed his shoulder in surprised reflex, she let out a gasp, he had just moved eight feet in something like a blink. He moved like Sesshomaru. That was fast. Impressed she opened her mouth to thank him for saving her the fall when the jewel in his chest reacted to her closeness, the sudden jolt of pain in her side made her jerk. And Ichigo not having understood what was happening held her closer in response, a groan escaped her parted lips and she shoved hard. Surprised he dropped her and she landed hard on her backside, the throbbing pain in her side held her full attention though. Clapping a hand to her own side, her actions seemed to have reached Ichigo.

Ichigo groaned, seeming to have grasped what happened, "Shit! I am so sorry. I only.."

"Shh, it's okay, you wanted to help and it's a good thing. The ladder would have fallen on me and I would have used my hands to catch myself. It's not like you put the thing your chest. Besides the fact it reacts to me like that, says it knows I'm going to kill it." She took slow breaths. The sharpness was fading but the ache was still there. She had a feeling when she took a shower tonight, she would have some good marks to show for it. Pasting on a smile, she did her best to ignore the pain and stand.

Ichigo's hoody covered head was dipping low with shame and she wanted to distract him, watching his pain, so easy to see, hurt her. He was so close to truly giving in and despairing, she had a feeling the moment that happened the jewel would own him. The thought frightened her. "You want to help? Do you know how to put power into things?"

Ichigo's head came back up and he shrugged, "Sorta, I wasn't very good at the full height of my powers, too much to just put a little in."

Kagome shrugged back, "I understand that, far easier to pump my arrows full then put a little in a piece of paper. But you want me to stop making my hands worse you have to do it, no one else here could."

Ichigo sighed, "Okay, but let me get you some new bandaids first, they're dirty now and spotted with blood and ink."

**July 21th **

Working with Kagome on sutras was very strange, everyone ended up bleeding a little more this morning and she was showing him how to make some like the ones he'd burned and eventually started placing around the shrine, he wasn't sure how he felt about Kagome planing for the eventuality of a fight on her home ground. He didn't want to endanger anyone, but he had to admit he wasn't sure after this taste of normality how he would handle being on the run again. He guessed it made him like that English crew that mutinied after a stay on a tropical island. Weak. But the hope she could free him kept him here.

He felt so alive, the running, the hiding, the guilt, all of it had slowly been killing him. She was a fresh breeze, so alive, a smile ready even when she was in pain. Yesterday when he'd tried to help her and only hurt her worse, she hadn't said one harsh word. And by the same turn she hadn't screamed or told anyone about her new injury. He wouldn't have blamed her. The way she moved told him it was bad. Hell, if she sent him away he wouldn't blame her; his problems were not hers.

But there were flashes, things that told him there was more then a few powers, more then a scavenger hunt for jewel shards, more then friends that left in past, and he was curious. How did such a pretty girl get mixed up in something that could give her pain tolerances close to his... before he died more than once and got his ass kicked by Shinigami and Arrancar. She knew how to fight, but she wasn't a fighter, at least not like he was.

No she didn't fight for fun, to win, to get even, or protect.

If he had to say anything, it probably would be she fought for people and for cute and slightly evil animals. Her brother wasn't kidding when he called the princess the small evil one, but she sure was cute. Yuzu would have loved the cats and living here. She would insist on learning from Kagome and her mother, as both knew how to cook amazingly. Karin and Souta would either be best friends or worst enemies, he wasn't sure which. Both liked soccer, both liked winning, but Souta liked video games and Karin got into fights.

He had admitted to himself last night watching Kagome try not to flinch going up the stairs, as much as he liked the family and admired Kagome more then he had any other woman other then his mother, he also didn't understand her at all.

**Kagome**

Teaching Ichigo how to make sutras was turning out to be harder then just making him place them, admittedly the first dozen-ish died, but then he figured out how to do it. She was jealous, he'd done it so much faster then she had. But the writing, the placement of kanji that was easy for her, figuring out what she wanted and how to get it, but so far it seemed Ichigo had no such instinct. That, she had to admit, went a long way towards mollifying her.

Ichigo was perfectly sweet, a gentlemen at times. Speech wise, he was blunt and often rather rude, and frequently a bit cold. He could work wood, hammer a nail, paint, sweep, fix things, fight, be kind... She knew he was almost perfect, but he had flaws, kept him human. But his flaws... most of them were ones she shared; she had a temper. She knew he had one, they both were stubborn, both of them didn't like weakness, and both of them had a habit of reminding themselves who was responsible for the problem staring them in the face.

She had to admit that if she had hoped after noticing him she'd find a habit that would annoy her, she had no such luck. He if anything was more attractive for the flaws. Not to mention his little problem told her if she ever came clean about her past, he had no leg to stand on if he wanted to laugh her off. Not that he would, he didn't laugh much. Snicker,yes, and she got the feeling he smirked a lot, not that she could see it since his hood was up ninety percent of the time.

Remembering how fast he'd moved the day before, she found herself wondering how could he have fun at the festival. If he had to lurk in the shadows and hide under a hood he wouldn't have much fun. But if instead of firing through high 'winds' and around objects if she fought a 'demon' for her demonstration... He could walk around his face free from cover and no one would think twice, everyone would know it was costume. Now to get him to go for it. "Hey Ichigo."

He looked up from the Sutra he was trying to copy, "What?"

"There's no way my hands will be totally healed for the archery demonstration to be good, so I had an idea. You moved really fast yesterday and ran for a long time trying to get away from me. Anyway the point is, we put you in some traditional clothes you can play demon, grab my arrows from the air and impress the hell out of everyone, and you have a reason to walk around all night without a hood up."

Ichigo blinked at her slowly, his hood was down because they were in the house and it was really really hot today. "You think that can work?"

"Of course everyone will understand you staying in costume, and everyone will be really impressed by the 'details' besides you move fast enough I would have to be trying to hit you. If I'm aiming six inches off you'll have the hard job, making it look like it's not easy. We start it easy, one at a time, giving you time to make a show of it, then I start shooting faster. At the end for the finally you catch five arrows, in each hand."

Now he was smirking at her. "Not that you have ambitions or anything."

She stuck her tongue out. "Be careful or I might miss."

He stared at her. "You're threatening to shoot me, if I don't let you shoot at me?"

She smirked. "Yep. So what do you think?"

He shrugged. "It's not like even if you hit me I would die, so sure, why not."

She grinned. "We'll start practicing tonight after dinner."

He frowned at her and looked at her hands, "No we wait till after Souta's birthday, other wise you won't be able to shoot enough arrows for the festival."

"But we need to practice!"

"Not really we need an agreed on plan, and then the rest is my problem." He had the gall to look unconcerned.

**July 22th **

Kagome was worried, they'd finished warding the shrine, completed the whole of it creating a circle, each of the buildings marked, even the stone ground protected, the god tree warded it's own power taken into account. She was testing it behind the house with Ichigo, she needed to be sure she had done it right and it would take any of their deflected attacks and absorb them adding more power to them. She walked the outline she knew was under the stones, she had done that because if people saw them she knew they would be picked up by people trying to help and if one was moved the whole thing would fail. If it worked.

Giving in she drew back her bowstring ignoring the twinges from healing burns and the cracking in the scabs on the backs of her hands. Taking a deep breath she fired the glowing arrow into the ground twenty feet from her. For a moment it stayed at the angle she had fired it at then the glow disappeared and the arrow fell on it's side. She grinning and then laughed relieved; she had done it.

"Good job. Now let's see if it reacts to me." Ichigo stepped forward and then stabbed the slim black blade into the ground.

He'd explained part of what happened when the jewel changed him, he'd been losing his powers having spent them in one move that ultimately failed and succeeded. His enemy was gone but he was on the run for something she still didn't understand and he looked like a monster. She wondered if they were chasing him because of what he looked like or because they thought he had stolen the jewel. But the little powers still available to him were in the blade or his speed, he couldn't throw attacks any more.

She took him at his word even though his use of the term 'little powers' had her wondering how strong he'd been before, because as he was her equal now and if they fought he would win because his speed was better then hers. But she was terrible at close quarters anyway. It took a moment but Ichigo's sword was slowly being pushed from the ground, he lifted it and she walked over to see only a tiny chip in the flagstone. "It worked!"

Ichigo hood moved in such a way she could tell he was nodding, but the relaxed way his shoulders sat told her he was just as happy as her.

"Now you get to help grandpa put the new display out."

His shoulders slumped, she giggled, "Wanna play hooky for a an hour so? I need more wrapping paper for tomorrow and some streamers."

He tilted his head sideways thinking it over. "So we'll be back for lunch?"

She out and out laughed at that. "I think you like my mother's cooking or something."

He shrugged, not denying it, "What can I say? After a few months of eating what ever I could get my hands on that wasn't from the trash, I love a hot meal."

She grimaced, she empathized with that little too well. There were times in the feudal era when she lost her pack or was separated from the group. She may have been lucky every time, but eating nasty food had still happened, or worse she remembered when she went without. The two days she was trapped in a cave with no food stuck out in her mind. "Crappy food is better then none." Oops. She said that out loud.

Ichigo turned towards her but didn't ask. He was good at that. It made her glad because she didn't want to lie to him. She wasn't sure being honest was a good idea, and she did her best not ask him in return.

His voice agreed, but with no inflection of the ache she knew came from not having eaten. If she didn't know otherwise, she would think he didn't have personal experience with it that she spoke of. "We should get ready to go."

He nodded and silently they walked into the house, splitting up she went to get a better shirt and he went for his backpack to hide his sword. Fifteen minutes later they were walking out of the house. The quiet lasted till they reached the store. It hadn't really been uncomfortable, they both were just elsewhere. Inside she picked out a couple of rolls of birthday type wrapping papers they were pretty much totally out and there was a sale, Ichigo took them and Kagome took care not to touch his gloved hands. Not that she didn't want to but the deep blue-purple-black mark on her side reminded her not to unless she wanted to hurt and make him feel more guilty. Paying for the wrapping paper and blue streamers, Ichigo took the bag and they slowly walked back to the shrine.

They were almost at the top of the stairs when her chaotic thoughts formed enough of straight line she acted. Grabbing his free hand she stopped him and was forced to let go almost right away. Trying not to wince, her first words died away and more tentative ones took their place. "Ichigo... this may seem abrupt, but no matter what happens, I'm glad to have met you. It's good to know I'm not the only one in Japan to know... To know hardship of the supernatural type."

They stood three steps from the top staring at each other, she could feel his eyes on her but all she could see was that it was dark under his large hood. She wanted to see his expressive eyes and his bright orange hair. His voice rasped in a dull tone, proving she had caught him off guard, answering her. "I am glad I met you. I'm glad you're trying to help me."

She smiled, her heart swelling, it was a good feeling, but it ached all the same. He asked so little. Turning after an overly long pause she skipped up the last few steps, "Come on lunch will be done soon!"

He snorted up to her, "We most definitely don't want to miss that."

**8:51 p.m. July 22****th**

Kagome was tired, really tired. It might be early, but she was sleepy and she claimed that as the reason she unthinkingly pushed the bathroom door the rest of the way open. Catching Ichigo shirtless, again, doing something to his horns. He looked like it hurt. Oh he was filing his horns.

"Stop that."

Ichigo looked at her, nails still scratching at his left horn. "Why? I won't be able to hide them they get any longer."

"Because you're hurting yourself. Besides you'll look better with really long horns for the festival."

Ichigo stared at her, "But I can't hide them."

"So we can say we were practicing makeup when you have to work outside, and tomorrow you and I will leave till clean up. Souta had the worst habit of bragging about me to his little friends and to them I'm just the older sister. It's easier to stay away."

Ichigo stared at her, "But where will we go where someone won't ask about why my hood is weird shaped?"

"Ichigo people don't ask when somethings a little bit weird most the time because: A, they don't want to know, or B, they correctly assume if they find out nothing will ever be the same again. So if you pretend it's normal most won't ask and if they do, ask them why they're so rude. The only person who would keep asking is a policemen, and in that case you... probably should run because you would be up to no good."

Ichigo scowled at her, "Are you saying I'm a trouble maker?"

"No I'm speaking from experience."

He blinked. "What did you do?"

She laughed, "It's a great funny little story about helping a little girl tormenting her brother and getting me into trouble."

Now he was smirking at her. It was amazing how his body spoke more then his frozen sneering-leer of shark like proportions. She bet if she saw him with his normal face it would be super expressive.

"If it's so great a story why don't you tell me more?"

She shrugged, "No, really, you probably don't want to hear more."

"I insist."

She clenched her jaw, then she relaxed, exhaling quick she took a deep breath and said; "She-was-really-a-ghost-who-died-in-a-fire-haunting-her-brother-because-he-lived-and-she-didn't-she-almost-went-to-hell-for-what-she-was-doing-till-I-saved-her."

Ichigo stared at her having missed most of what she'd said, like she intended, gaping. She smiled at him. "That help clear it up?"

"No." He stared at her, blankly, and almost annoyed in being thwarted.

"Then don''t ask."

He scowled, slouching his horns clearly uneven. Frowning she walked the rest of the way in to inspect the damage he had done. It was clear to her the difference, but really it was only half an inch or so. "Not so bad only me and mom will be able to tell a difference."

He almost was pouting at her, his slouch and whiny tone said it all, "That's great, I'm glad you're happy."

She laughed at him, "Don't be such a baby, let me brush my teeth and the bathroom is all yours, besides doesn't it hurt to file them like that?"

He waved his claws, his own eyes following them through the air. "Sorta, it's an ache. It's, well, as they're growing out they hurt more. All tender, like a bone deep bruise. Only on both sides of my head."

She nodded, her tooth brush in her mouth. She hoped he hadn't noticed her eyes had been drifting down towards his abs, he such a tight flat stomach. Her inner Miroku had been peeking out. It didn't help those stripes on his chest looked like landing strips for her hands to run over his chest then over his shoulders and down his arms. Eyes up. She could have slapped herself on Ichigo's behalf. She was perving. And taking way too long brushing her teeth. Spitting, she rinsed her mouth out, then she gave a quick slightly awkward smile, "It's all yours."

Then she retreated to her room to hide from the object of her hormone surge.

**July 23th 11:00 a.m.**

Kagome walked from house Ichigo a step behind her, he had their lunch, a couple of bento boxes, they were going to have a picnic and weren't welcome to come home till three-thirty, when all of Souta's little friends would have left. In theory, she knew how easily all of them could loose tract of time playing their games. She lead the way to the park glad she had been correct in her observations of people, no more than five or six people looked twice at her and Ichigo, and all of them knew her and her family. Most likely they were wondering who this person in black was that they had seen coming and going from the shrine for a week , than why his head looked weird.

Reaching the park behind the shrine quickly, she lead the way toward her favorite spot on the far side of the park under a bunch of trees, hopefully since it was during the week it would be mostly empty. Finding her favorite patch of trees she made Ichigo lay out the blanket and they sat down and started to eat, both of them had been up rather early to help with the last bit of set up for the party, so they were hungry. Things were as quiet as it ever was in the middle of Tokyo. Kagome felt so relaxed she almost fell asleep. Dozing she realized she had stopped comparing Inuyasha and Ichigo, and subconsciously Ichigo had come out ahead. He knew where she was coming from, if they ever dated or got together she wouldn't have to conform to his expectations.

Realizing that had her wide awake. She wanted him free of the jewel. She wanted him free so he could choose her. She sat up. "Hey Ichigo, you said the jewel gave you your sword because you wished right?"

He looked at her from where he was resting against a tree, "Yeah. Why?"

"You want to be free of the jewel, right?"

He was probably frowning at her but he answered easily enough, she got to her knees, "You really would like to go home right?"

"Yes? Why are you asking?"

"You really want it gone, you want your normal face to look back at you in the mirror, right?" She crept a little closer.

"Yes. Why are you asking me this?"

She was just an arms length away now, "You want to go back and be able to smile at your friends without being attacked right?"

She asked this as she reached out to his chest, but to her surprise his hand snapped out and grabbed her arm by the wrist, "If you think you can push it from me, while I'm wishing it gone you're kidding yourself." His voice was a harsh dull tone that spoke of how much she'd upset him with her questions.

She guessed her sheepish face said it all, because he growled some more, "You sure are a glutton for punishment, trying something so simple."

The moment he said glutton, the jewel reacted and burnt her wrist where Ichigo was touching her, but he must have been watching closely because the moment she flinched, he let go.

"Proving my point."

She rubbed her wrist trying to ignore the fresh burn sure to be just under the bandages from her last try, "That's not fair, I can't just want you free? We're friends aren't we?"

He scoffed, "Friends? Is that what this is? Me depending on you, and you slamming yourself up against a brick wall? If we really were friends I would leave just so I wouldn't have to watch you bleed... But you're right..."

He sounded sad, and guilty as hell. "I want to go home. That keeps me here, I won't leave, and even if I have to run odds would be you would find me at your door in a month or two, asking for help again."

Kagome smiled, she knew it showed her sympathy all to clearly, but she couldn't help herself. "Friends don't let each other wallow in their pain alone. Did you ever think I pushed at the jewel just so you'll feel sorry for me?"

He was silent and then he snorted. "No, never crossed my mind."

She slapped his shoulder keeping the contact brief, "Then stop moping just so I feel sorry for you. Have you ever thought I like having you around? I like having someone depending on me? I miss my friends just as much as you miss yours... If not more, you have hope, I have nothing. They are gone."

The black hole that was his face looked at her closely, and his body almost ridged against the tree relaxed, and he heaved a sigh, "You're such high maintenance."

"Look who's talking."

**July 24th 9:00 a.m.**

Kagome took a deep breath, today was so crazy, everyone was helping set up for tomorrow, poor Ichigo was playing muscle man in his hoody despite it being hot outside. She had no clue how she was going to survive six more hours of this.

**4:32 p.m. **

Ichigo sat slumped in the kitchen, he couldn't believe the Higurashis did this several times a year, this was exhausting, and confusing. And the planning involved... The ideas made his head spin. Not to mention according to everyone this year had gone much smoother then last year. Considering how much running around he had done he couldn't imagine it being worse... unless he was still working. That would be worse.

Kagome sat down with a loud thump, and slumped forward on the table. She had been a favorite, lots of people had told him Kagome always knew what to do. Bringing him back around to her and family being well loved in the city. He knew his dad was well liked as a doctor but... it wasn't really a family thing.

After his mom died the only family things they did together was dinner, but his dad wasn't there every night, and going to her grave.

He protected his sisters when he could, walked them half way to school, helped Yuzu shop, went to Karin's games... But it wasn't something everyone did together. Not like here. Even in the middle of everything, running around, the Higurashi's took care of each other; Mrs. Higurashi sent people to stop Kagome from helping too much so her hands would keep getting better. Kagome made sure Souta got a break, and all three of the younger ones stopped Grandpa from getting in the way too much. Ichigo had to admit he was wondering if his mother had lived if his life would have been like this.

"I think takeout is for dinner." Mrs. Higurashi announced in a tired tone.

**July 25th 12:09 p.m.**

Ichigo was amazed, he, Souta and Kagome slept in till nine then it was up and running. Kagome had handed him his costume for later in the evening, for the day he was just a another person, just one in white hoody. Kagome, her mom and her bother along with Grandfather were answering questions from those who had never come before, saying hi to the neighbors and friends who had come. Mostly it was friend of the family who had brought friends or family from out of town. Kagome had told him if the number kept growing the way they had been before they even opened tonight would be packed.

Walking around he was surprised when one of the vendors, the guy selling rice bowls with your choice side dishes, stopped him. "You're the kid helping the Higurashi's out this time right?"

Ichigo nodded, unsure of what the man wanted, he found a bowl of rice with chicken on top being passed to him. The man seemed to realize he was confused, so he explained. "Vendors here pay a small fee for space, then if we're selling food we feed the family. Mrs. Higurashi and Kagome-chan made sure we knew you were to be fed too."

Ichigo felt like he should be blushing. The sly look the man was sending him seemed to imply he thought Kagome had more than friendliness on the brain. "It's not like that. They're letting me stay..."

The man winked, a smirk on his face. "You wish right?"

Ichigo decided the best defense was retreat, because the man was right, he did wish. Of course this was something else, every vendor here was super friendly yesterday, the only stamp of a approval he needed was the Higurashis, then everyone else went with it. It was strange, his friends hunting for him, on the run, trapped in a monstrous form and he was getting more acceptance then he had at any other time in his life. He'd always fought or been picked on for his hair, or for being weak. Then he'd been fighting for his life for his friends and then his town and more often than not he only had half the information.

The running and the fight that came after seemed surreal, standing here, in the crowd eating his food he almost couldn't believe it happened, he felt so normal. He almost felt like he could look in a mirror and see his normal face staring back at him. But his life had never been normal, it was totally fitting. In order to be treated normally he had to become an even bigger freak.

But he almost could accept it, if not for this he wouldn't have met Kagome; and he had to admit if only to himself she was the first girl to really turn his head and keep his attention. Rukia was a friend, Tatsuki was filling out but he had known her for far too long to fall for her, and Orihime... just not interesting enough. She had a killer body but she couldn't cook and she always blurted out random answers. Sure a couple others in class were pretty but they were afraid of him.

Finishing up the bowl he tossed in a trash can and that was when he found Kagome, dressed in a priestess uniform and she was telling half a dozen small children a story about the god tree.

"...and so the God Tree stand over all of us, protecting us, watching us and all of time."

The littlest girl in front wearing pig-tails asked softly, "Do you think it remembers us?"

Kagome smiled but it was a sad smile. "I know it does Kato-chan. I think the tree watches us and cares for all of us. But you must remember for something as old as it is, we are just small things. If you only come to it once or twice it only remembers your face but if you come and talk to it, tell it your troubles I think it listens. Then it remembers you. Your troubles, your triumphs."

The little children around her gasped or made sounds of awe. "Really?" The boy standing next to the girl asked.

Kagome nodded hard. "Really. Sometimes you stand near it and when the wind blows you can almost feel like it's answering you."

"What does it say?" The same little girl from before asked.

"It depends what you asked it, or told it. It can't give real advice, but it brings peace if you listen well enough."

Then one of the kids parents came back to claim their kid, and so Kagome broke free of the children. Walking up to his side she said in a almost normal voice; "I'm really hungry."

"Well, I just had some food, but more sounds good. Want to show me your favorite booth?"

She grinned brightly; the shadow that talking about the tree had brought to her face disappearing. "You got it!"

**5:59 p.m.**

Kagome pulled him into the house, he was just glad he'd finished eating but he wanted to know why she was grabbing him so early. "Kagome what's up? We don't need to go out for another hour."

She grinned, "Are you kidding? I have to have an hour to do your makeup."

At first he was confused he quickly understood what she meant. If they didn't disappear for a while someone might question his 'makeup'. Besides this meant they could go inside and just relax for half an hour. Their act had become more and more elaborate and he just hoped someone namely her grandfather narrating it didn't screw up. But if they pulled it off, no missteps or miss shot arrows it was be amazing. Kagome said it was a true story and one that related to their shrine but he wondered just a little how she knew. No one he knew was as big a history buff as her. Not to add in the fact she told stories he'd never heard of outside of fairytales.

He had first thought she got it from her grandfather but she almost always corrected him on something or another, and it mattered to her. She cared about history like it was more than a story. She named names well known, but would tell some strange tale he'd never heard of about the people. When he asked where she'd learned it, he always got the feeling he crossed the line they both had about asking specifics about their individual adventures.

Kagome took the bandages off that she had been wearing on her hands and Ichigo was glad to she her hands looked much better. The scratches were pink, but the burns were healed even it the skin was still a bit shiny. Kagome flexed her hands and was smiling seeming pleased with the way they had healed. He was just glad she hadn't over done it practicing, he'd been worried about that but she had been worried about shooting him, so he had showed off a little. Needless to say she had calmed down after that.

But after that she asked him about how he felt about recreating a scene of history.

Again the question of how she knew that came to the front of his mind, since it had been clear it was her story not something her grandfather knew. But he owed her, and so he didn't ask.

She stood from the kitchen chair she had sat in, "I'm gonna go get ready."

He was surprised, "What you have a costume?"

She smirked. "Sorta, if I'm going to be in character I need a little bit of armor, and a few changes."

Ichigo looked at the clock and realized fifteen minutes had passed with them siting in silence. "Okay I'm going to follow you and change."

She nodded and lead the way up the stairs, then they split off going to their own rooms. Ichigo had to admit he was a bit reluctant to not wear a shirt but everyone else had told him it didn't look right if he was wearing a shirt so he was going to be 'fighting' in hakamas. Changed he left his room only to find Kagome leaving hers as well, she had strapped shoulder guards to her arms as well as a light chest plate looking closer he realized the chest plate was cleverly glued cardboard painted to look like metal, but from far away in the dim lighting it was going to look good.

"So where did the shoulder guards come from?"

She flushed, and answered slowly. "They were Souta's that's why they don't fit right, grandpa painted them to match the armor."

"Nice."

She looked him over and came down the hall, she was looked thoughtful. He felt embarrassed as her eyes ran over him. He didn't remember ever being embarrassed by his body before, maybe by Yoruichi's or Matsumoto's but not his. Feeling her eyes on his bared torso felt... uncomfortably open. That might have been because he hadn't dared think about going topless out in public for almost a year. Then to his surprise she touched his shorter horn, stating: "I wish they were even. You'd look much better."

His head began to ache and he was forced to close his eyes to deal with the strange feeling without opening his mouth to swear, but her gasp made him worry she had hurt her hand just before they were going to go out. Opening his eyes far sooner then they felt ready for he saw she was looking at his head, but to the sides. Then he noticed the weight on either side of his head.

He had two horns again, he could see the tips out of the corner of his eyes. Sarcastically he commented, "Wish granted."

Kagome said right away, "Gosh, I'm sorry. That hurt didn't it?"

He stared at her not really minding, he just was surprised the jewel hadn't zapped her. He continued to be surprised by the easy with which she touched him. It cost her more than once, and she reached out without thinking. "Let's see does a broken bone hurt? Yes. So growing one back almost instantly hurts. But it's over with and you're right, I make a much better demon with matching horns."

She narrowed her eyes at him, but only huffed. "I just was thinking of what people would say of my makeup skills if you had mismatching horns."

Despite the serious way she said that, he didn't quite believe her. "So you look like an all powerful priestess, and I am the big bad demon, shall we head out?"

They reached the kitchen and realized they had ten or so minutes before they headed out. Sitting back down at the kitchen table Ichigo found himself nervous, how did he know the crowd wouldn't recognize him for the monster he was.

He almost jumped when Kagome touched his hand for a second, "Calm down. I haven't lead you wrong yet. Besides if something happens I can protect you."

Ichigo glared, but part of him felt something that had been broken start healing at her words. He had sworn to protect his family and friends and now someone wanted to do the same for him.

Mrs. Higurashi entered the kitchen half way through calling them and she stopped shouting seeing them. "Good you two are ready. And both of you look fabulous. I think you should go out the other door, walk behind all the booths so most will be surprised by your costumes when the lights come on the stage."

Ichigo was amused, it seemed like everyone in the family was getting more and more into this. First Kagome wanted to change it into a reenactment; then Grandpa was narrating, Souta was doing lighting, now Kagome had costume and now Mrs. Higurashi wanted everyone to be surprised by their costumes.

He was surprise when the older woman came over to him and rested her hand on his shoulder, saying softly. "I'm glad your willing to do this Ichigo-kun, I don't think you understand what it means to us that your willing to do this."

Ichigo could hear the feelings in her voice and he found himself picturing what it would be like to find someone willing join in on the family picnic for his mother and just like that he did understand what it meant to them. They were making him part of the family for this day, when the man outside had first fed him he hadn't grasped it- But now hearing her, and having seen how excited everyone was. He got it. Of course he would die before admitting the face he saw when he pictured someone joining them for the family picnic was Kagome.

But they had just told him no matter what he looked like, no matter what trouble he was in, this was his home. He could have cried that moment but Mrs. Higurashi went on; "So you two have five more minutes before you should head out and start to the stage."

She walked out and Ichigo found himself speechless, how do you thank someone for that?

He knew what it was like to be willing to die for someone, but he'd never had someone offer to make all his everyday problems theirs. Lucky for him Kagome seemed to understand he couldn't talk, she stayed silent and just smiled at him every few minutes. Then she was pulling him to his feet and out the other door. Outside, he could see and hear the crowd again, so he snapped out of it, and out of concern for Kagome he let go of her hand. She looked back and he tried to smile, and for all it should have come out some horrible expression she understood and smiled back. Then they were behind the stage and Souta in charge of the lights with a friend of his whom he had borrowed the two lights from, flicked his off while his friend focused on one spot, and quickly Grandfather was up on stage and giving the written and agreed upon introduction.

"So tonight my Granddaughter Kagome was going to do a basic archery demonstration, but after Kurosaki-kun joined us for a short visit it changed and the two of then decided to preform a short skit for you. A reenactment of the fight that created the Shikon No Tama that is part of the rich history of our shrine. The first of the two characters this skit is about is the great and powerful Midoriko."

Kagome stepped out and Souta flicked his light on making the fake armor shine, seeming more real in the light. The crowd made pleased sound and Ichigo realized Kagome prediction was correct; the shrine was packed. It had been filling up all day but now in front of the stage and back more then fifty feet he couldn't see standing room.

"And her horrible and fierce enemy the demon Magatsuhi."

Ichigo stepped on the stage and the lights flickered to him, half blind part of him want to go hide and the crowds loud reaction to him was startling. About half hissed, and a few mostly children judging by the shrillness screamed and even fewer made approving sounds. But he had his part to play and no one was screaming kill him so he took his place and waited for Grandfather to go on.

"The great priestess had been fighting an over whelming hoard of demons for several days, when finally the greatest of them all Magatsuhi appeared to fight her. Now he was the greatest of them all because he wasn't just one demon he was a demon made of many demons centered about one evil soul who on the brink of death made a deal. The man desired to posses the great priestess, because of her great beauty and power, and such things are always lusted after. So the demon had come after her many times but both of them knew that day would be their last fight."

Ichigo had been slowly backing to the far end of the stage just as Kagome had, Kagome of course had also been drawing her first arrow in slow motion. The moment the lights left grandfather and settled on them: she knocked her arrow and fired, as it was aimed close to him he side stepped making half the crowd take a deep breath when it seem Kagome was out to kill him for real. She drew quickly and fired. He took a step forward and caught the arrow snapping it between his fingers to add to the realness of it.

She fired again, he side stepped coming ever closer slowly. The next three arrows were fired in quick succession, twirling he slowed himself just enough so those with quick eyes could see him grabbing the arrows from the air. Then with a dramatic pause he froze so everyone could see him holding them, and then he dropped them.

The whole crowd gasped, and they started again, Kagome took a step forward and fired aiming dead center of his forehead, he made sure to catch it only a few inches from his head. The crowd oohed. He snapped that one, taking another step forward.

She stepped forward and drew two arrows knocking them to her string, then she fired and he grabbed both. They were barely eight feet apart now so it was only a second or two before her arrows reached him. He snapped those two, Grandfather had insisted they use really wooden arrows for the show rather then the metal ones in practice but considering snapping them added such a dramatic affect it was a good call.

Kagome was drawing arrows faster now but it was about here they had agreed he should just start side stepping. She knew on the far side of the stage there was a wall to hit with the arrows so no one was going to be hit by strays. Finally they were face to face she fired one last arrow and he caught it, snapped and grabbed her in his arms... only for the lights to swivel to Grandfather.

"It was Midoriko's finally moments trapped and about to die in Magatsuhi's grasp when she decided to take the fight to another plane. So she forced his and her souls out of their bodies creating the Shikon No Tama. And that is why it was said the Shikon No Tama was always fighting, one force trying to win over the other. But what happened to it are another night's tale. So a big thanks to Kurosaki as the horrible and terrible Magatsuhi."

The light shone on him from where he had stepped away from Kagome, the embrace required had been embarrassing. He took a bow and to his surprise the applause was loud and very enthusiastic. It took a full two or three minutes to die down and then Grandfather had Kagome step forward to take her bow.

"And my Granddaughter Kagome the Great and Powerful Midoriko."

Kagome took her bow and the cheers would have taken the roof off it there had been one. But it took five or so minutes for the cheers to die down, and that was when in his best commercial voice grandfather gave the announcement that a band would take the stage in ten minutes. The lights went off. Climbing down off the stage Mrs. Higurashi hugged them both tightly, "That was amazing you two. If I hadn't known better I would have thought you were trying to kill each other!"

Then still holding him she whispered in his ear, "You were very brave staying up there with everyone watching."

He couldn't help it, first she declared him family and then told him she was proud of him for not giving into his only recently found fear of crowds. His mother might have to forgive him because he couldn't help but love Mrs. Higurashi.

He wasn't exactly sure what to do next but Kagome was heading around to the front of the stage so he followed her, then to his surprise the two of them were almost swamped with fans and people telling them what a good job they had done. He was surprised by some of the compliments and other things people asked, only one person asked who had done his makeup, he had named Kagome and that was the last thing anyone said beyond good costume.

Ichigo found he was greet by people in the crowd for the rest of the night but the one little girl stuck out in his mind; first she seemed frightened by his appearance but her parents kept telling her it was just a costume. Her question had been straight forward and scared him. "Are you really not a demon?" Kagome had been standing there at the time and answered when it was clear to her he was struggling. "Of course not. He's just a weird friend of mine with naturally orange hair. He's really fast and with all the paint I can see why you might be scared but you know how he's really a good guy?"

Kagome knelt next to the girl proving how good she was with kids again. The little child shook her head and Kagome answered her own question. "I was only one with a weapon up on stage. He's pretty handy with a sword and if he wanted he could kill me with before I could shoot him."

Ichigo scoffed, but she ignored him.

"Besides if he was a real demon he would just eat me."

The little girl thought this over very seriously before nodding and then with determination she smiled up at him, "You were really good, mister."

The night had ended about two hours after the fireworks, everyone planned to do clean up the next day. But Ichigo found he was grateful for the chance to be here with the Higurashis.


	4. Chapter 4

**Can't Stop Running**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha, don't own Bleach, so I don't own anything. So I admit it's another Bleach Inuyasha crossover done beauty and the beast style, I can't help it. I love the idea, and beauty and the beast is just so much fun to write. By the way Ichigo's form is that of his hollow in his last fight with Ulquiorra.**

**Chapter Four**

**July 26th 10:36 a.m.**

Ichigo was out helping with clean up, Kagome sighed and looked at her newly burnt hand, that's what she gets for falling down the stairs and him rescuing her. She balled up her good hand and punched herself in the head, "Idiot!"

She was the one who let her hand stay on his shoulder for too long. But Ichigo was feeling bad, she could tell. Stupid. Idiot. Girly girl! Her life wasn't normal enough to just ask him out, besides it wasn't like they could hold hands much less kiss.

She smacked herself again for good measure.

First she slept in, then when Ichigo said good morning she almost fell down the stairs, landing on him and making the jewel react again. The only thing that could make the day worse was if her friends showed up...

The horrible feeling that she had just jinxed herself sunk in.

She groaned, and sat down at the kitchen table. She was doomed.

**July 27th 11:03 a.m.**

Kagome opened the door, to her horror her prediction the day before came true. Her three girl friends stood outside and all of them had looks on their face that said they wanted to dish on her partner at the festival. All three had been there and at the time had taken her to task for not telling them she was so good with the bow. Then when she had slipped up and mentioned he was in a bit of trouble and staying with them...

This was bound to happen.

Hiding her panic she smiled, "Come in, I'm sorry I haven't had much time to hang out of the last week."

Eri made a face stepping into the house. "Come on Kagome it's been longer then a week, you haven't spent time with us since that movie before your kid brother's birthday."

Kagome chuckled half-heartedly, "Right. Sorry it's been a bit crazy. Let's go up to my room."

The other three girls followed her up the stairs and after she had tucked them in her room she dashed down the stairs after checking Ichigo's room and finding it empty. She didn't find Ichigo so she grabbed her bother and gave him marching orders. "Souta, Ayumi, Eri and Yuka are here. "Ichigo's not in the house and make sure it stays that way! Tell him how scary they can be whatever. Just help him stay hidden!"

Souta nodded and headed outside and Kagome grabbed what she had been reading before and brought it up to her room so she could bookmark it. Entering her room Eri and Yuka exchanged sly looks. "Warning him off were we?"

Kagome was glad she knew how to lie, she smiled. "No, no. This book I left it on the table and if I lost my place it would have been pain. Besides Ichigo's running around for mom."

Ayumi nodded. "Doing what?"

Kagome shrugged, "Groceries, with the festival coming up mom didn't have a chance to go shopping, not to mention I'm sure Grandfather has things for him to do. Grandfather likes having an older guy around to work for him."

The looks on their faces told her she had made a mistake, she had just given them the opening they were looking for. She could have smacked herself.

Yuka asked the first question, "So you were rather vague about why he's staying with you, care to tell us more?"

Kagome tried to play causal but they knew her and would spot her crush in a second. "Ichigo Kurosaki is a guy I met who's had a lot of trouble. He's had to leave home because of a misunderstanding, and he was hungry when I met him and I felt really bad so I brought him home. He's a really cool guy in a bad situation."

All three stared at her, and Ayumi who normally was the least nosy asked slowly, "So you like him."

Kagome collapsed on her bed and flopped back, "I really really like him."

The silence in the room told her, her friends knew she was serious.

"What is about bad boys that draws you so!?" Eri and Yuka shouted together.

Kagome sat up glared, "For your information Ichigo may get into fights but none.. almost none of them are his fault. And Inuyasha was a good guy over all, rather then lumping them together as bad boys why you don't call them something more accurate like troubled?!"

The three of them stared at her, Ayumi smiled softly; "You're acting like we'll be mean to him."

Kagome shrugged and flopped back again, "Ichigo is pretty unique, Inuyasha may have had silver hair but Ichigo's is orange."

Eri gasped and Yuka looked amazed, Yuka spoke up next, "Orange? Does he dye his hair?"

Kagome snorted, "Not a chance, it's natural. He says it's like his mom's was so she probably was American or European."

"Was?" only Ayumi caught her phrasing.

"His mom died when he was kid."

The three girls paused, "So do you know how long he's staying?" Eri offered as a peace offering.

Kagome shrugged, "Not sure, probably not for more then another couple of weeks. Probably. Might only be a week."

Conversation turned to normal things, school was starting back up soon, Hojo was still bothering her, Eri was dating again, Ayumi had met a boy she liked, Yuka still was swearing guys off. It was after lunch time when they finally left, Kagome right away went looking for Ichigo. He was still in the shed cleaning for her grandfather, but he had some dirty dishes so Souta had fed him lunch. He startled her by speaking. "So your friends are gone now right?"

"Yeah. Sorry for making you hide, but they can be really forward, I had visions of someone 'playfully' knocking your hood off."

His head bobbed, "I can understand."

His voice made it sound like he didn't, not really. She walked around so she stood in front of him and the table he was working at. "It sounds like you don't, I know you're afraid of how people see you. I didn't want you to be upset because my friends are shallow young girls."

He looked up at her startled by her descriptions of her own friends.

Kagome decided to explain. "Those three girls are perfectly normal girls who have never seen anyone die a horrible death, none of them have ever fought for their lives. I have never told any of them I skipped school because I had a responsibility, I told them I was sick. Not one of them have a clue about the kind of worlds you and I have seen. And as annoying as it can be I don't want it to change. So I hope you can understand now." She trailed off, that was a lame ending to a strong statement.

Ichigo sat back in the chair, he dryly told her what he thought. "I suppose it was stupid of me to mad at you for hiding me properly. You told me you would protect me. I just haven't been protected in so long I was annoyed."

The statement sounded almost like he was now asking her to forgive him for jumping to unfair conclusions. She nodded, "Now that's straightened out, lets get to work on finishing this up for Grandfather."

**July 28th 4:21 p.m.**

Kagome went to find Ichigo she had spoken to her mother and she was pretty sure they had come up with a way for him to go to school, even in his current form.

"Hey Ichigo." She greeted him, he had been in his room after all, she thought he was outside. He looked over at her from where he was reading on his cot, "Hey Kagome."

"Can I come in?"

Ichigo slowly sat up, "Sure, what do you want?"

Kagome heaved a sigh and then sat in the desk chair, "I was thinking about how you could go to school. The next term starts soon and you need to go to school."

Ichigo looked highly skeptical, "And how do you plan on that?"

Kagome chewed on her lip, "I was thinking we could get some flesh colored face paint or foundation cover the black and white up, your horns have to be short anyway so we could trim them shorter and hide them in your hair, then we could try contacts to make your eyes seem more normal. That is if by the start of school I haven't broken the spell."

Ichigo nodded slowly before bring up the real sticking point, he waved his fingers in the air and asked; "What about these claws? I can't trim them, you saw me try."

Kagome nodded, "Yeah I was thinking you could wear gloves and we could just say you have allergies that means wearing gloves is safer."

Ichigo blinked slowly at her, "Allergies? That's lame."

Kagome shrugged, "There was this girl that was allergic to the cleaning solutions used in the bathrooms and classrooms, she got to skip gym and she wore gloves."

Ichigo looked thoughtful, but sad. "Kagome as much as I would love to stay that long I don't think I can. I am being hunted and this damn thing," he punctuated this with a light punch to his chest. "Means I can't stop for too much longer.

Kagome nodded sadly, just because she was lonely, just because she liked him. None of that meant she could ask him to risk his safety, not if she wanted to keep looking in the mirror. If it was her fault he stayed too long and got hurt she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. "It was just a thought."

Ichigo grinned at her, "Don't worry it was a good one, maybe I should buy some makeup anyway so I can go to public places that are well lit up without fearing for my life."

Kagome laughed even though she knew he was at least half serious, he was trying to cheer her up she could oblige.

**July 29th 1:09 p.m.**

Ichigo found himself thinking, even as he played with Souta. His wrestler threw Souta's down and Souta's kicked him down. He had stayed for thirteen days now, tomorrow would be two weeks. That was the limit of the amount of time he had found to be safe. If he was serious about keeping the Higurashis safe he would leave tonight. He could come back in a month or two, but he would have to leave the city.

"Hey Ichigo what's a matter? I haven't beaten you this easy since you first got here."

He snapped out of it to realize Souta had beaten his character, he really was distracted. "Sorry Souta, I'm just worried. I can't stay much longer. Not without putting you and Kagome in danger."

Souta looked curious, "How so? I know you and you Kagome have talked about it but what's going on?"

Ichigo set his controller down, "I was kicking my greatest enemy's ass when he decided since I was gonna win he was going to make sure it was still a loss. He used the jewel he had been using to curse me with this appearance, and then he made sure the jewel would trick all my friends into thinking I'm him. So as far as they know I'm dead and the bad guy is still running loose. I can't stay any one place too long or it brings them to me. And since they don't know it's me they'll try to kill me. I can't tell them the truth because it twists the words I say, and I'm pretty sure that would still happen even if you or your sister tried to tell them the truth. That or they just wouldn't believe you."

Souta was frowning, "Thats really unfair."

Ichigo couldn't stop the snort, "Yeah. But that was the kinda guy he was."

Souta stayed quiet for a minute before speaking up, "Give Kagome a few more days. I'm sure she can figure this out. She always works best under pressure."

Ichigo shrugged, "I don't think I can. If anyone here got hurt it would be my fault."

Souta grabbed his arm and rather forcefully, reminding him of Kagome, said. "No. It wouldn't be. We know the risks and we all want to help. Kagome is much happier with you here, she was sad after the well closed. She felt lonely. I know she did."

Ichigo ignored the spark of hope hearing Kagome seemed happier, gave him. It didn't matter he liked her, if he stayed she and her family would be in danger. "That doesn't matter Souta, I couldn't forgive myself if anyone was hurt."

Souta scowled, "You're just scared and running away."

"What?! No I'm not. I just want to protect you."

Souta shook his head hard, "No. You're scared. You don't want to face your friends. I know Kagome and you did something so the house and shrine would be protected. Kagome can fight really good, you can probably fight pretty good. So you have to be scared."

"I'm not!"

The boy glared at him, "Prove it."

"But how..." He glared back at the boy, now seeing the twitching lips. "I'll give your sister four more days. Then I really have to go."

**July 30th 6:39 p.m.**

They had just sat down to a slightly late dinner; they had been out of one of the herbs so she and Ichigo had run to the store, but that meant dinner was twenty minutes late. That was when power unlike anything she had ever felt before began to press on her. It was a heavy feeling, something like the weight of Sesshomaru's demonic power but without the bite she remembered. Ichigo however looked simultaneously horrified and scared.

It had to be his friends.

He leapt to his feet and tore out of the kitchen, Kagome stood more slowly her mind trying to process the amount of power barring down on them. It suddenly made sense Ichigo dismissed the small amount of power he had managed to cling to. If he had beaten an enemy people like this couldn't beat. It probably felt like a drop from the sea to him. Ichigo came back into the kitchen his sword in hand, fear still written into his body. "You all must stay in the house I'll try to lead them away."

He ran out the kitchen door.

Kagome snorted, she knew she was afraid, but she had been afraid when she saw Naraku's giant spider body heading towards the town. Fear meant nothing. She left the kitchen and dashed to her room, grabbing her bow she took the two quivers of arrows she had. Then she ran backdown stairs, Souta and her mother looked confused, they couldn't feel it.

Her grandfather however was sweating, and he was shaking. Huh, guess that meant he had told Ichigo the truth of it, of course that would mean they were facing Shinigami. That was a strange thought. "Stay inside, I'll help Ichigo, but stay inside no matter what." She was glad she had stuck the sealing sutra in her first quiver because she could seal the kitchen door. Stepping out, ignoring the fact she wasn't wearing shoes, she slammed the door shut and slapped the sutra on. That should do it.

Walking out further from the house she found Ichigo cornered in the main courtyard by four strange people. The man with red hair had the oddest look sword she had seen since the band of seven. The man with silvery hair was giving her the creeps because he reminded her of Hakudoshi. There was a boy with white hair and brightest blue eyes she had even seen, more of sea green really but he was attacking Ichigo who was having a hard time dodging. The last man was watching, his long black hair not moving in the wind, his cold and shrewd eyes watching Ichigo and the boy's fight, he oddly enough didn't seem to have a sword.

But all four had something in common, they were enraged. The silver haired man might be smiling but it was the smile of snake, the boy was lashing out in a barely controlled fashion, the red haired man was waiting for the perfect moment to attack as was the man beside him without a sword.

Ichigo noticed her, "Kagome get back inside, you probably can't see them but they're captains!"

Kagome slung her quivers over her shoulders, "Shut up. I can see them. Why wouldn't I?" Seeing all four of the intruders looking at her, she waved and said, "Hey can't you all leave peacefully? I don't want to have to shoot you."

"He's a criminal! I don't know what he told you human girl but we're the good guys!"

The red haired man was the one who spoke but what he said didn't exactly corresponded with what she said. Ichigo countered the boy's attacks and called over, "I told you the jewel twists your words!"

Kagome shrugged, it was worth a try, then she noticed the silver haired man saying something, his short sword began to glow. Then faster then she could blink, a blur of silver moved and when she glanced at Ichigo he was down on his knees bleeding from his side. "Ichigo?!"

He raised his sword to block the child's attacks, "I said run Kagome, you can't beat them."

Fear and frustration were at war in her breast, she hadn't even seen how the man attacked Ichigo, but the results couldn't be denied. But she had never left a friend before, she drew and arrow and set it to her string and set her sights on the silver haired man. She was going to take him down. Taking a deep breath to steady her hands, she let it go. The arrow began to glow with the bright purple light she knew meant she had put her all into it, the men all stopped to look at it none of them seemed to know what to think. The man reached out and plucked it from the air, but her powers blasted up his arm and burnt away his sleeve.

Seeing how effective they were she fired three more arrows aiming to take him down hard, he was shocked and failed to react but his companions were faster; the man with black hair who up till now hadn't done anything lashed out with his hand and what looked like flower petals swarmed her arrows and when they blew away nothing was left of her arrows.

Really frighten now she put up a brave front, "Leave now, I don't want to hurt you."

The black hair man turned his attention to her, "Little girl Aizen has deceived you, he is not your friend. If you continue to fight you will die."

Feeling her legs shaking she tossed her head. "It is you who is mistaken."

The sound of swords being scrapped along each other drew her attention in time to see the boy over whelm Ichigo, the boy's blade sunk deep into his chest and to her absolute horror he slumped to the ground dead.

**Souta**

He watched his sister dart out the door after Ichigo and thats when he realized Ichigo's friends who were hunting him had found him. He leapt out of his chair and followed his mother to the door only to find it wouldn't open. Together he and his mother went to the window and looked out of it trying to see Kagome and Ichigo. Desperate he only looked away when his mother addressed his grandfather.

"Father what's wrong with you?"

He looked back and saw his grandfather still sitting like he had been for dinner, but he was shaking and dripping sweat, a look on his face that Souta admitted he had never seen there before. His grandfather took a small sip of his tea before speaking. "Consider yourselves lucky, it's times like this when being spiritually aware is dangerous. I don't envy Kagome out there."

"What do you mean grandfather?" Souta only realized he was the only asking after the words were out of his mouth. He knew his sister was brave for doing things in the past and slaying evil demons while making friends with good ones. But he had only really realized what could happen the time she came home her feet bandaged and needing new shoes. Finding out she had stood in acid to help Inuyasha was horrifying. But Ichigo's friends coming to kill him didn't seem that bad. Though he had to wonder how Kagome and Ichigo knew they were there.

"I mean Shinigami this strong have been known to kill humans just by being near them. It's a good thing Kagome put the protections up she did or we might not be talking, unable to breath under the power they emit."

"Shinigami Grandpa? That's not possible."

His grandfather shot him a look and simply said, "Neither are demons.

Souta had to give him that, he knew demons were real because Inuyasha had been half demon and Kagome talked about demons, but finding out his grandfather might have been telling the truth when he spoke of Soul Reapers was scary. A whole other world he was blind to.

**Kagome **

Her first thoughts were horrified, panicked flashes of color, things that didn't even make sense. Her first real thought was _get to him. _So she dashed his way before she had taken three running steps, not even covering ten feet, the man with black hair, and strange white clips in his bangs was between her and Ichigo. She hadn't even seen him move.

"Girl cease this. Aizen deserves to die."

She realized in that moment she was crying, not sobs but tears were running down her face. She didn't want Ichigo to die. She didn't want to loose another friend, not one she could keep. She went to run around him, only to have him grab her around the waist stopping her. Angry and worried that Ichigo would still be dead, she did the only thing that made sense. Grabbing his forearms she flung his hands off her waist while shouting to his face, "THAT'S NOT AIZEN!"

Power channeled through her hands burned up his arms and shredded his shirt, Kagome noticed running past him dark red and brown burns covered his arms and the upper portion of his chest. Then seeing the white haired boy that cut him down still standing over him she shoved his shoulders hard, knocking him away. Not looking to see how he fell she knelt at Ichigo's side. To her utter shock his eyes were open if dazed, and a wound that surely should have killed him was slowly closing despite the amount of blood on the ground; telling her he should have bled out.

Then it hit her, these men were so powerful, if they had been chasing him for however long he had been running there was no way they hadn't beaten him before. Aizen had wanted to punish Ichigo for beating him, what was crueler then forcing you to run from your friends while they killed you over and over again? Nothing she could think of. No wonder Ichigo had been so close to giving up.

Kagome found her fear burned away by her anger, getting to her feet she couldn't help but yell at them. "Leave us alone! He wasn't hurting anyone staying here!"

A cold voice answered her, "That's where your wrong. The fact he still breaths hurts numerous people."

It was the boy, his voice icy, his body language spoke of his intent to attack. Angry she drew another arrow and fired it at him where he stood fifteen feet away, shouting; "You're wrong!" The boy swung his sword and deflected her arrow, he started a chant like the silver haired man had done, only half way through there was a loud crack, Kagome looked closer and saw a crack in his blade starting where her arrow had met it. The boy looked shocked and so did the other men with him save the black haired one.

Then the top three quarters of his blade fell to the ground with a clang.

Pleased with her success she drew and fire another arrow, with an icy glare the boy dodged. "Leave now!" She called hoping this would be the end of it.

The red head spoke. "Girl I don't know what powers you have, and I don't know what he's told you but it's lies."

Kagome scowled, "Leave idiot! Someone as blind as yourselves have no right to tell me anything! If anyone's being fooled it you!"

The man's face flushed red, "Girl I'm giving you chance, you don't stand a chance against us. Leave that evil man and forget this ever happened!"

Kagome saw red, "You!" She fired an arrow. "Ass!" she fired again. "Hole!"

The man dodged her arrows but she saw him swinging his sword back over his shoulder and flinging it towards her. To her surprise it stretched and was bending. Her thoughts flashed to Jakotsu, this sword was remarkably similar. But that meant she didn't know where to dodge and judging by how fast the others were she couldn't out run him anyway. Frozen by indecision she was shocked when a hand grabbed her shoulder and flung her to the left. Landing roughly, her left arm scrapped raw her shoulder aching because it took the brunt of her landing, she twisted to look at Ichigo.

He laying on his side where he had been flung by the attack, however the distance didn't hide the second and even larger pool of blood, sitting up she realized he had almost been cut in two. Angry with him for getting hurt, even though he'd be waking up in a minute or two she drew another arrow and shot it at the red head. "You jerk!" This arrow came closer, it seemed 'Aizen' saving her was out of character, at least that was what she figured was confusing him. Drawing back a second arrow, she was startled when the black haired man spoke up, "Renji enough. We'll leave. This girl has some interesting powers." Just like that the pink petals she had seen destroy her arrows became a sword in his hand, his sword was horribly chipped and in bad shape.

Twisting it in the air, a door opened and all four attackers disappeared.

Kagome had a feeling they'd be back in a couple of days, however she also some how got the feeling they weren't sanctioned to be here. They could have kept fighting and kicked her ass easily. They were much much stronger then her and Ichigo. Standing up she started to realize the toll this fight had taken on her. Every muscle ached, probably because she forced them to keep working at a normal pace, never mind her body had felt like it was fighting through mud. Her arm was dripping blood and just guessing off the amount she was pretty sure it was gonna scar. She also had a headache from all the tension, not to mention she still needed to yell at Ichigo for throwing himself in harms way like that.

Walking back over to Ichigo she also realized her upper thigh not covered by her shorts was scraped just not as bad as her arm and her hip was badly bruised. He'd saved her life and all, but he'd done a lot of damage. Sitting down beside Ichigo, she watched the damage continue to undo it's self. It was a bit creepy to watch but it made her feel better to know he was going to get up, she was right and he was not allowed to die. It took about two minutes of sitting there before he started breathing again, not a minute after that his blankly staring eyes were flickering around. They stopped moving when they found her, still healing his question sounded more like a mumble but she still understood. "Their gone. For now."

Ichigo's head drifted sideways as he let the cursed jewel finish healing him up. Sitting there in silence Ichigo looking so pathetic Kagome found her anger didn't matter. But she had to ask, "So why didn't you tell me you couldn't even get out this by dying?"

His right shoulder shrugged, his other wasn't all the way together yet. "Doesn't seem real, no matter how many times I die. It is never the exact same cut, but I wake the same way every time."

Kagome herself furious, how dare Aizen take even death away from him? But it made sense in a twisted evil way. Someone like Ichigo or herself would rather die then strike a friend. Just like that Kagome found tears rolling down her face. It was everything she had felt coming out, the fear, the pain, the anger. Her disappointment in herself because she hadn't freed him yet. "You still could have told me."

"Hey... are you crying?"

The awkward sentence sent tears down her cheeks faster, "Yes."

"Why? I'm gonna be fine, your still alive, they left."

Kagome gasped for air, "Because you idiot I was scared."

Ichigo misunderstood her. "You'd be crazy not to be, that was four men that happened to have the biggest grudges against Aizen and they all are seriously good fighters."

"You idiot!" She couldn't see for the tears now. "I thought you were dead! I don't want to loose another friend!" She didn't have to see to know Ichigo froze. But her confession calmed her, she needed to get him in the house, both of them needed to get cleaned up. Ichigo's clothes were ruined and she was bleeding freely if slowly from the scrapes on her arm. Wiping her face clean, she blinked her sore eyes. Some times a girl really just needed to cry.

Ichigo however looked upset. "What happened to your arm?"

She looked down and wished she hadn't, it looked horrible. Dirt and blood formed a black mud on her arm except where the blood was flowing the fastest. She didn't say anything but Ichigo knew; "It's from when I pushed you out of the way isn't it?"

Kagome shrugged. "This or my life, I'd take this every time."

Ichigo didn't say anything and Kagome found herself remembering her irritation. "You idiot. What the hell were you thinking? Go away? Stay in the house? I said I'd protect you."

Ichigo scowled at her, "I was thinking Shinigami are ghosts and normal people can't see them, much less hurt them. Besides a normal person facing captain level Shinigami have been known to just die."

Kagome didn't really have anything to say to that, so she just sighed, she hurt too much to properly angry. "Let's get back into the house before we both pass out."

Ichigo make a face at her, "I'm fine."

Kagome just raised an eyebrow, "Right, then get back to house on your own."

Ichigo went to push himself up, only to look surprised when after a second or two of trembling his arms gave out. Kagome couldn't help but snicker, even if it hurt, reaching out she pointed out the damage the red head had done. "You note that last injury was three inches short of cutting you in half?" She ran a finger down from his shoulder down to the hollow of the opposite hip. Noting his shiver at her touch she suddenly realized he had a hot body and she liked him, and she had just been touching the hollow of his hip a few inches above... mentally she slapped herself good. Pervert Kagome. Bad Kagome.

"Come on." Helping him sit up she got her good arm wrapped around his back under his bad shoulder and together they managed to get him upright. Then him leaning on her, they headed back to the house, that suddenly seemed unreasonably far away.

Ichigo suddenly blurted out, "Why aren't the rest of your family out here?"

Noting his poor phasing she knew he was going to be out like light when he laid down. "For one Grandfather could feel them and I don't think he could stand and second I sealed the kitchen door behind me."

He chuckled into her neck. Feeling goose bumps break out, she tried to stop the shiver.

"You're clever... I like that.. about.. you."

Jostling him she scolded him, "Hey stay awake there. You pass out and I'm dropping you."

He snorted, "And rude."

She snorted back at him. "Hey you wouldn't make it to the house without me, I can be as rude as I want."

He snorted again but managed to keep putting one foot in front of the other, reaching the kitchen door Kagome struggled to remove the sutra one handed but managed. The door flew open and her family stood ready to greet them. Her mother gasped and went white at the sight of Ichigo and her. Both of them dripping blood even if Ichigo's was old blood. "Mom Ichigo and I are fine. Grandpa you'll need to keep Ichigo awake long enough in the tub to get clean. Her grandfather nodded and Souta darted around to Ichigo's other side to help her. Together Souta and her managed to get Ichigo up the stairs and in the bathroom, aside from telling Souta to get him some sweat pants she left. It was up to the boys to get him clean and in bed. Heading back down the stairs each step felt like agony. Her muscles burned, the deep ache telling her she had really over done it.

Her mother was waiting in the kitchen, first aid kit spread out on the counter that had been quickly cleared. Unable to hide that she was hurting she walked to the sink and starting washing her arm. Biting her lip she couldn't watch all the red water running down the drain. Her mother was watching her a pained look in her eyes, "What happened Kagome?"

She giggled a little, "Well Ichigo isn't allowed to die to get away apparently. His friends are scary tough. Even if my powers work on them, and Ichigo died twice. The second time he pushed me out of the way and thats when I got this."

Her mother nodded slowly, "Ichigo can't die hun?"

"Yep, not even being cut mostly in half does it."

"Right. Let's get you arm and leg patched up, then after Ichigo's done how about a long bath and dinner in bed?"

Kagome smiled, "That sounds heavenly."

**Soul Society**

The uproar in fourth squad could have been heard from the twelfth. Yamamoto was furious that four Shinigami, three captains and one lieutenant were stupid enough to knowingly go after Aizen alone. The fact two returned hurt, and the other two were disturbed did not help matters.

"Explain how this happened?!" He thundered as Unohana worked on the sixth captain.

Byakuya started. "We were told by a member of my squad he believed he had found Aizen in the human world. I decided after so many false leads that two other captains and my Lieutenant would be enough to confirm the sighting. We entered above Tokyo and soon went to the shrine I been told about. Sensing an odd power we approached only to find Aizen leaving one of the buildings coming to meet us."

Renji took over. "My captain and I released to Shikai right away. Aizen asked us politely to come back some other day as he had just been about to sit down to dinner. Captain Hitsugaya attacked angry he was taking us so lightly. Captain Ichimaru hung back waiting for a the right moment it seemed. To our surprise, this is when a human girl followed Aizen out from the house. He told her our ranks and suggested she leave it to him. She told him no matter what we were she wasn't leaving him alone. Then she said to us they had done nothing to warrant the visit. I said; he's a criminal. I don't know what he told you human girl but we had our reasons."

Gin spoke up here, "Thats when Aizen said (cheerfully I might add) that like he told her Shinigami had no manners. I resented that, and took my chance while he was talking and fighting Hitsugaya. My Shikai took him in the side going all the way through his body and he ignored it aside from being knocked to his knees. The girl was most angry, she fired a normal arrow at me, but half way to me it started to glow a light purple. Since it was slow and I wasn't sure what powers the chit had I decided to catch and snap the arrow. The second I touched it however the power burned up my arm and you can see the result."

Byakuya took back over Unohana having finished what she was doing to him. "The girl realized she could hurt us and fired off three more arrows clearly intending to kill Captain Ichimaru, I interfered by using Senbonzakura. The moment my sword touched any of the three arrows they turned to dust, I continued to attack the arrows and before long they ran out of power, but the damage down to my sword was considerable. Even now Senbonzakura has not full recovered. However I don't believe she fully grasped the damage she had done to my sword because she next said 'We could leave now or wait till she was really serious.' I believe she was bluffing because her Reiatsu was not any stronger then a fifth or sixth seat. I believe it was only the strangeness of her powers that made it so effective. My reply however was 'Little girl Aizen has deceived you, he is not your friend. If you continue to fight you will die'. Her next comment was strange, 'it is you who is mistaken.' That was when Hitsugaya first killed Aizen." Byakuya looked to the youngest captain.

Hitsugaya looked up from where he had been staring at his broken sword. "Fighting Aizen was strange, he was very flippant, not really counter attacking. He seemed more concerned with the girl. His sword told me nothing of his feelings, save acceptance. Towards what I do not know. My sword cut deep into his chest and he fell dead, but not seconds later I could see the wound closing."

Byakuya took back over the narrative. "She was panicked to see him fall, dashing toward Aizen I stepped between the two of them. As she was crying I told her to cease such nonsense as Aizen deserved his fate. She went to run around me and again I stopped her. As I believe her powers to be archery based I grabbed her, to my surprise she grabbed my arms and channelled power that way, needless to say that is how I received the burns. She shouted something about my being deceived but her words made little sense. I tried to attack her with Senbonzakura but the petals again turned to dust before I could touch her. Since she had run passed me I decided to stop wasting such attacks on her."

Hitsugaya started speaking again; "In her hurry to reach Aizen's side she simply shoved me away. Having seen how badly Captain Kuchiki was harmed I decided to step further away. She checked Aizen and upon seeing he was stirring she decided to yell at us. Saying something about he wasn't hurting anyone staying there. I corrected her, and she became angry again. Shooting an arrow at me, I was unaware of the effects her powers had on Zanpakuto so I deflected her arrow. For a split second I thought it was fine, only for Hyorinmaru to break a moment later. Seeing I was vulnerable she attacked, I dodged and was unable to understand the basics of her powers. She was an archer but could attack with her hands, she had no speed to speak of, but I doubted sword attacks could effect her."

Renji spoke up again, "It's here when she again told us to leave so she could go back to dinner. I told her again she had been ticked by Aizen and whatever he said was lies. Her reply was I was a foolish weak Lieutenant. I told her she had no chance against three captains and me, she attacked with her arrows all of which I dodged. I attacked her figuring I could cut her in half before she could break my sword however Aizen interfered and flung her out of the way taking my attack head on leaving him dead on the ground again. I was startled he would do that for some human girl and she nearly shot me, as she got ready to fire again Captain Kuchiki decided we had best retreat and report."

Yamamoto nodded slowly and then turned to his healer, "Why have they not been treated?"

Unohana spoke calmly but all present sensed she disliked the way that had been phrased. "I have discovered this girl's power infects the wounds such I can not heal them without leaving her power trapped beneath the skin, no doubt waiting to respond to her next attack. The damage done is similar to a Kido, just burns but the structure is totally different. As such they have to heal at their own pace, Captain Ichimaru should be better this time tomorrow but Captain Kuchiki needs at least another day after that. I believe when the girl attacked you she was very angry you stood between her and Aizen as the damage is much worse then the defensive feeling of Captain Ichimaru's."

Yamamoto sighed. "We will have a captain's meeting tomorrow to discuss how this new information should be handled."

**Thanks goes out to all my reviewers see you next friday or if enough of you review sooner**


	5. Chapter 5

**Can't Stop Running**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha, don't own Bleach, so I don't own anything. So I admit it's another Bleach Inuyasha crossover done beauty and the beast style, I can't help it. I love the idea, and beauty and the beast is just so much fun to write. By the way Ichigo's form is that of his hollow in his last fight with Ulquiorra.**

**Chapter Five**

**10:48 a.m. July 31th **

Kagome woke up slowly, every bone in her body aching. Her bath last night had been a short one because she didn't want to fall asleep in the tub. Ichigo had fallen sleep the moment he had been put to bed and hadn't eaten dinner, she had only managed to eat a little before she fell asleep. Now she wasn't sure she could get out of bed. But only moving would make her feel better, besides she had no clue when they'd be back. Ichigo wouldn't be going anywhere fast today, she just needed to get moving. Pushing herself up, she slowly climbed out of bed, as she struggled to get dressed she found herself wondering if this was what it was like to be old.

By the time she got down stairs she felt like she just wanted to die. Souta was the only one down stairs, he told her grandfather was outside taking care of the visitors, he also asked if all the blood had been Ichigo's. Turns out he'd gone out last night and tried to clean up most the blood, her mother and he had finished the job in the morning with a bit of bleach water. He helped her warm up leftovers from dinner and she ate slowly. That done she couldn't put off stretching any more, going to the living room she started working her arms in slowly increasing circles, then sitting down she did her legs. Her mother came down the stairs and greeted her with a smile. "Good morning Kagome, it's good to see you're up. Have you eaten?"

"Yeah, has Ichigo woken up?"

"Yes. I managed to get him to eat a bowl of soup and then the poor dear was out like a light."

"Did he say anything?"

Her mother nodded a peaceful expression on her face; "Yes we spoke."

**Flashback Mrs. Higurashi**

She had gone in to check on the boy, having seen his clothes and the blood stains outside she couldn't believe he was still alive. But the fact he was here told it's own story, the sad boy that her daughter had her heart set on helping was a survivor. She herself felt a couple of warring desires, she didn't like to see her daughter bleeding, but telling Kagome no when it was clear she could do something would be asking for trouble. Not to mention she couldn't really say no when the boy in question was a much better choice then her daughter's last crush. If she fell for this one she wouldn't have to leave, she could still go to school and there would still be things they could talk about besides how long she would gone. The boy she had been standing over began to stir and she knew he would need to eat. Hurrying downstairs Souta told her Kagome wasn't up yet. Unsurprising considering how spent her daughter had seemed the night before. Heating the bowl of soup she then carried it up to the old office. Seeing the tired and out of focus yellow eyes she greeted him. "Good morning Ichigo-kun."

He blinked at her slowly, clearly trying to wake himself up. "Mrs. Higurashi."

"Can you eat something?"

"Yeah."

Putting the tray down on the desk she helped the weak boy sit up, a pillow at his back she handed him the tray. He had taken his first spoon full when he sudden asked; "How is Kagome?"

"She's fine, still sleeping."

He ate some more but seemed to be thinking. Then he blurted, "I'll leave. I'm sorry Kagome got hurt. But I'll leave and not come back."

She had laughed, surprised but pleased. "Kagome would be very angry."

He looked at her seeming stunned. "But the only time she got hurt was..."

"When you shoved her out of the way of an attack that killed you. I can't be mad at you for that. If you leave Kagome will either go with you or chase after you. I know it. She's become friends with you and she's terribly loyal. You don't do what she's done otherwise. You might as well stay."

"You mean it? After last night... just like that?"

She shook her head, sad he doubted her and their family. "Have you once lied about what's been going on? I don't think you have, even if you haven't told us everything. So yes, just like that we will keep helping you."

He turned back to his liquid breakfast, staring at it she almost didn't hear his reply. "I don't think I can be helped."

Sad for him she couldn't stop herself from trying to comfort him. "Ichigo I know it seems impossible right now, Kagome will figure out how to get rid of the jewel. She'll break your curse."

Ichigo looked up at her, and the his doubt was written there for her to see, but he didn't argue. Leaving her struggling to find something to lift the shadow there. Suddenly words she had heard once before came to mind; "Ichigo haven't you ever heard "It's darkest before dawn"? Good things come after long hard dark moments. You are something good in our lives because Kagome has shown more spirit in the last couple of weeks then she had shown in months."

He look down to his bowl of cooling soup, he took a couple more spoonfuls before asking; "What happened to them?"

As much as she wanted to tell him she knew it was Kagome's business. "Kagome is the one you should be asking."

He nodded and she watched as he finished his soup in silence. Ichigo handed the tray back to her and as she left the room she heard him thank her. Heading down stairs she refilled his glass of water and took it back up only to find he had fallen asleep. Silly as it seemed she decided to sit and watch him sleep for a few minutes. She hadn't sat and watched her own children sleep for a long time, checked on them yes but just sat and watch them sleep? Not since before Kagome left. Now more often then not hearing her door opening woke Kagome. She had learned to sleep lightly in the past. After she started to hear voices below her in the living room she stood to head back down stairs, it sounded like Kagome was up.

**Kagome**

"So he'd not going to try anything stupid like leaving right?"

Her mother shrugged and reached the bottom of the stairs, "Not today for sure, but tomorrow he might. He seemed very upset about you getting hurt."

Kagome sighed, stretching had made her tired and even if it was going to help in the long run it hurt a lot. Ichigo had to be feeling worse. "Thanks for taking care of him mom."

"Of course dear, I'm not going to force him to come downstairs when he looks half dead."

Kagome really wanted to check on him and since he was asleep... she groaned and dragged herself to her feet. Wobbling she could tell while she was in more pain, her muscles were moving faster. She'd need to drink more water before taking a nap. Her mother looked her over but said nothing about the blood spotting her bandages. Stretching was sure to make at least a couple of scabs crack and not stretching would be worse.

"I'm gonna wash dishes and start lunch, Kagome go rest. I don't want to see you bleeding any more." With that she walked into the kitchen.

Kagome knew her mother's stern admonishment was simply because she didn't like her bleeding at all but it didn't help the small feelings of guilt she had for being so much trouble. Time travel, demons, magic jewels and now super powered ghosts for all intents and purposes. Hobbling back up the stairs she took the time to check on Ichigo; he was sleeping like her mother said, his chest rising and sinking in a soothing pattern, feeling her own eyelids start to sink she went to her room and fell asleep after getting comfortable.

**9:57 a.m. August 1th**

Ichigo woke suddenly hearing his door open, he had woken the night before long enough to stumble to the bathroom and to grab something to eat but then he had fallen back into bed to sleep some more. Looking to the door he saw it was Kagome with breakfast judging by the smell.

She grinned at him her bandaged arm visible under her shirt sleeve. "Mom said I should bring you breakfast since we manage to miss each other yesterday."

He pushed himself upright, the soreness that had plagued him yesterday seemed reduced today. "By all means come in. Breakfast smells really good."

Kagome smiled at him. "I'm glad you think so, I had to make the omelet since I ate the last of mom's."

Ichigo knew odds were good he wouldn't be able to tell the difference but he knew Yuzu didn't like it when he didn't say anything so he had to say something. "Guess it's a good thing I slept in late or we might have fought over it."

Kagome snickered and handed him the tray before sitting down in the desk chair. Digging in he had to say Kagome could cook like her mother. "This is really good. Your mother has taught you well."

Kagome flushed and watched him eat. He got the feeling she was trying to work up the nerve to say something else and he suddenly wasn't as hungry, but if he was going to leave he'd need his strength.

Suddenly she stood, "You're not really planning on leaving are you?!"

Blinking hard he had to admit that was not what he'd been expecting, "That's what you're worried about?"

"Well yeah. What did you think it was?"

Ichigo didn't want to admit he was still worried she was mad he had put her in so much danger, or when he'd hurt her pushing her out of the way.

"You idiot. I don't care I got hurt and I knew the moment I brought you home, you were trouble. Here..." She reached down and pulled her left sock off, pointing at her ankle he noticed from an inch above the joint and down the skin looked a bit different. "I got this and on the other foot too; from standing in acid. A couple of scrapes don't mean anything. Sure the one on my arm might scar but I have several of them. Pain is part of helping people."

Ichigo blinked and thought about it, Chad helped him and got beaten, he helped Chad and got beaten. Rukia helped him, he got stabbed in the chest she got arrested. Renji decided to help rescue Rukia Byakuya kicked his ass. Yeah, Kagome was right, no good deed goes unpunished.

She pulled her sock back on and he went back to eating. The silence was less tense but both of them had things to say.

The moment he had finished Kagome took the tray from him and set it on the desk, leaning forward she said; "I think we need to talk."

He nodded, not sure what she wanted to start with.

She took a deep breath, "You can't leave."

He sank back deeper into bed, "Kagome it may not have sunk in yet, but those four could have easily killed both of us. When they come back they will be back with the full reinforcements of Soul Society. That means another seven guys on top of the other four. I'll be dead so many times over I won't get more then a chance to open my eyes before they'll kill me again, and frankly they'll probably let the twelfth captain kidnap you to examine your powers and he doesn't give his experiments back. And Humane not in his vocabulary. That man is evil."

Kagome crossed her arms stubbornly, "I know they'll be back but I can get rid of the jewel, I'm sure of it."

Looking at her in that moment he believed her, more like believed in her, but that didn't mean he'd stay and risk everyone. "I believe that, but me staying could hurt everyone, not just you, Souta, your mom, your grandfather for sure."

"But if you leave you'll be running blind, and you can't work for money and how will you eat?!"

Touched by her concern he brushed it off, "I survived before I can do it again."

"But you shouldn't have to! Stay, I'll find a way before they come back."

"Kagome.." She cut him off.

"I don't want to hear it, stay a few more days I'll take care of it. You'll be free."

Remembering his promise to Souta to give Kagome four more days, he hesitated. He really didn't want to leave. He was so weak. "Fine but if they come back please stay inside. I don't want them to kill you for helping me."

Kagome huffed, her hands balled into fists in her lap. Then she blurted, "Tell me more about them. Who were we fighting? What are their powers? Who would come next time?"

Ichigo gave in and started giving her the run down on all the captains, what he knew about their powers, more about Soul Society and ranking, everything he could think to tell her. When that was done he found himself wondering about what she had said while bringing him back to the house. "What happened to your friends Kagome? It sounds like they died but you haven't come out and said it like that."

She took a deep breath, "My adventures took place either in an alternate reality or five hundred years in the past. Either way I faced demons, countless bandits, armies, battlefields, mass graves, played grave digger, not to mention multiple kidnappings. The day I destroyed my jewel, the well through which I traveled closed. My friends might as well be dead because nothing I do, say or think can reach them on the far side of the well."

"I felt so lonely after the well closed because no matter what I say, even if I told my friends the truth of my absence they couldn't possibly understand what I saw and did. No words can bridge that gap. But you... you know something of it. The fights, the pain, the... these things change you. You are left knowing no matter what you'll never see things the same again. I played normal for the last year but that was all it was. An act, how can I pretend tests are so important to me when I know what it's like to have my life hanging on the line? After that rush what is a test but words on a piece of paper? Or in movies, my friends talk about how gore doesn't look like that but what do they know? They've never seen a dead person before, or even killed."

Kagome sat looking tired in the chair, her hands relaxing and then making fists again. She suddenly looked directly at him, "I don't want to be left alone again. If you run I'm coming with you, even if it means missing school."

He sighed, it was as her mother said, Kagome would follow him, when he ran, when he went out to fight. She was far too spirited not to. But that cry of not wanting to be alone. His feelings, everything he was, said the same thing. After staying here, after finding people who could see past the mask he didn't want to be alone either. "Okay, we'll stay till I'm one hundred percent, then if I'm not freed and we haven't been attacked we'll run."

Kagome relaxed, "Good."

**1:48 p.m. August 2th **

Kagome cheered Souta on as he beat Ichigo on level fifteen of the game they were playing. She and Ichigo were resting after her latest attempt to free Ichigo of the jewel's influence. She had done five sutra's up designed to amplify Ichigo's powers and goodness forcing them to reject the jewel with the last sutra trying to tie her powers to his. All that happened was Ichigo ended up sporting five burns and she had burned fingers again. But the jewel hadn't lashed out as hard, it seemed to her at least doing what had been done, meant it focused on continuing it's last orders from it's dead master rather then scaring her off. She was starting to toss around a set up of sixteen sutras. But it wasn't straight in her head yet, not to mention between recovering from the fight and the five sutra set up had been costly.

So they were hanging out ignoring the odds were good some time in the next two days they would be fighting Ichigo's friends for their very lives. Souta and her had a moment yesterday, he had asked why she did what she did. She had tried to explain and knew she had done but a bad job but Souta understood enough.

He had simply told her he was proud of her.

She knew normally she tended to run him off as a pest because he was so much younger then her and she didn't want to tell him about being sick over a dead child or how weak she felt when she had messed up. But after talking yesterday, for once she felt like her brother saw that she was human and made mistakes and was still proud of her. It was the best feeling in the world.

Her mother hadn't said one thing against the plan of action even though she had seen how much it upset her to come back in dripping blood. Her grandfather for once had been honest, though she wasn't sure what it meant to find out you were forth gen kids of Shinigami and Human. Ichigo had told her about fake bodies and everything but still how did that work?

A ghost and human? Weird. But it made all the stories about people dying to be with people they met only after they were dead much more real. And creepy.

"Kagome your turn to get schooled."

Grinning she took the controller from Ichigo, after all the teasing she had just done he deserved a chance to laugh at her.

**4:57 p.m. August 3th**

The moment Kagome felt the pressure in the air changing she knew round two was about to start; Ichigo had given her some tips about how to help her speed and she was looking forward to testing herself. Forgetting she had been talking to her brother she stood and walked down to the front door, her arrows and bow had been sitting there from the moment she found out Souta had brought them in. A couple of new sealing sutras and she could lock down the house. No one was getting in or out without killing her first. Sealing the front door, she walked around to the kitchen door and found it wide open, her mother looking out of it in a confused manner. Knowing Ichigo was out of the house, she smiled at her mom and slid it closed, slapping the sutra on it.

That done she took a few deep breaths, glad to see Ichigo's tips were already helping. They had to be because despite more people and several new, more powerful guys, she could breathe unlike before. She wasn't even sweating because of fear this time. She wasn't going to abandon Ichigo, she wasn't going to stand by, she was going to kick their asses so hard they wouldn't ever come back for him.

Back out in the courtyard she looked over the assembled army, it looked like they left a few people back at home. There as most definitely not the twelve people Ichigo predicted. The four guys from before, a woman with a stern but kind face, a very old looking man that if she remembered right was the leader. He also seemed to be more powerful then two or three of the others put together, a man in a pink kimono over his captains coat, an older man with white hair who also looked kind. She wondered where the others were but noticed two more people out of sight. They probably had orders to take the information back no matter the out come of the battle.

The old man spoke up, "Last chance Aizen, surrender."

Ichigo laughed bitterly, "Would if I could old man."

Despite hearing exactly what Ichigo said and knowing what happened from last time she couldn't help but stare at the old man's face as it twisted with suppressed rage. What the heck was he hearing? The way he gripped his staff, the angry lines on his face, it had to be something personal. The faces behind the old man were all twisted with anger, it had to be something personal to all of them. But what words could they be hearing? Almost all present drew their swords, the old man and the women being the exceptions.

Ichigo sneered and crouched, readying himself- she drew an arrow.

All with drawn swords said a chant she now knew to be the key to releasing to Shikai. Then they seemed to break into two groups, the black haired man from before, as well as the silver haired man, the white haired man came her way. The others went Ichigo's way save the old man and the woman. The man she had hurt so badly before, started moving his hands in a strange way, she was confused not one of three had landed yet and they only had swords, how were they going to attack her?

Then he seemed to throw something at her, it hit her, hadn't Ichigo said something about them having magic? The blur she could barely see came her way before fading away. She had no clue what had just happened but clearly it was some sort of attack, just one that failed. She fired her arrow and as expected they scattered, drawing quickly she targeted the only one to actually attack her so far. Ichigo didn't seem to be fairing well, fighting three guys at once meant he was already dripping blood and his clothes in tatters. He had told her didn't know how many times in a row he could die before the jewel would be too tired to fix him, his record number of deaths had been something like four or five and each time afterwards he had been left exhausted and starving.

Kagome just hoped they wouldn't find out today.

Firing off four more arrows the only damage she had done was to black hair's clothes and judging by the glare the man was giving her that was enough. The white haired guy had thrown at least four more things at her all different colors and different shapes but since they all seemed to die before coming any where close to her she wasn't sure what to think, was she unconsciously purifying it? It could make sense. Firing off three more arrows at the black haired guy she abruptly threw two towards the other two. She didn't like seeing them talking when she couldn't hear what they were saying.

To her surprise her arrows actually connected, she had just blasted the two other guys of out sky! But not actually hurt them, annoyed she focused on them only to find herself pissed when the black haired man attacked her with another one of the stupid spells. "Stop that it's not like their doing anything!" Never mind that one had come within a foot of her before totally disappearing.

Seeing Ichigo fall a deep cut to his leg and chest she couldn't help herself; she fired off into the group surrounding him. They scattered and her arrow landed next to Ichigo. He managed to look at her and the widening of his eyes said someone had decided to get serious.

Turning she whipped her bow around smacking the sword or what she thought was the sword of the silver haired man. The blade shattered. Considering she hadn't been able to see it before Ichigo's tips had paid off in spades. Staring at her three opponents she saw all looked shocked, then not a a nano second later her attacker looked very upset and dropped his sword, her powers clearly burning his hand.

Interesting. Their swords didn't like her powers. Hadn't the black haired guy tried to attack her with those strange pink petals that formed a sword when he left? And hadn't also looked like something had chewed it up?

She could purify their swords. If they can't fight without the swords and then they can't kill Ichigo.

Drawing an arrow again she couldn't hid the flinch seeing Ichigo get cut down from the corner of her eye. The eldest of the men she was fighting took that as a chance to talk. "Girl why are you fighting for Aizen?"

"Because he's not Aizen!"

The confusion on the man's told her whatever she had said didn't make sense to him. So she phased it a different way; "He's not the bad guy!"

This time the man looked offended. She gave talking up as a bad job, firing her arrow soared passed. The man, he had side stepped. Glaring she drew another arrow, the man held his hands up in a peaceable fashion, except he had a sword in his hand. "I'm just trying to understand how did he find you?"

Angry with the whole thing she glared. "He didn't, I found him!"

He looked more puzzled and she wasn't sure if it was because he understood her or because the jewel twisted her words. Frustrated she spat, "Look if you want to talk, go home. I have nothing to say to someone who can't understand!"

To add to her frustration they had been circling her slowly and she had put her back to Ichigo just in time for him to half scream, wanting to look back she fired at the silver haired man who had picked his broken sword up. Drawing again she turned just in time to see Ichigo getting back up the right arm of his sleeve falling off in a way told he'd screamed because they cut his arm off. Angry because every moment they spoke Ichigo was being tormented by men he respected; she fired and caught the child attacking him high in the right shoulder, he fell his sword shattering because her power had been channelled into it. Twirling she caught the silver haired man moving in as if to knock her out. Her bow stopping an inch from his nose he backed off.

The white haired guy she had been fighting spoke again; "You don't seem the type to attack a child."

"I'm not normally but you attacked first."

His look of confusion was back, "I don't know what Aizen told you but he's a war criminal, he's killed more people then you can imagine."

Biting back a scream of anger, she hissed her next words, "He's not Aizen for the last time!"

Ichigo yelped behind her, drawing her next arrow she noted the first quiver of hers held only had one more arrow. She fired it at the man with black hair and then the last arrow of that quiver at the man doing all the talking. Then hearing a gargle she knew again Ichigo had died, bring the total to four times to her knowledge, he could be on five she wasn't sure. Starting to feel cornered she drew from her second quiver and fired it at the old man who was the leader of them all. "Leave you jerks! He hasn't done ANYTHING!"

Her arrow had caught the old man off guard because he failed to dodge, but to her surprise when he blocked with his wood staff, her powers burnt the wood away- leaving a sword that the old man dropped. Smoke drifting from his hands. She had to wonder if maybe it wasn't her, but the swords, maybe the jewel didn't work on them and they didn't want to fight. Ichigo said they were like people. It was possible right? And if their owners couldn't hear what she and Ichigo said maybe they couldn't hear their swords.

Drawing again she turned starting to get seriously annoyed with the three men fighting her, they were maintaining a triangle formation so she could at best see two of them. Plus trying to keep track of Ichigo's fight, plus the two extra people standing over head.

Hearing the guy behind her chanting again she knew he was throwing another spell, the only part she caught was a number that meant very little to her; it would have meant nothing but she assumed the number 62 was rather powerful. Firing at the white haired man she spun while drawing and fired it at the silver haired man who attacked her. To her surprise he didn't completely dodge and she caught his leg. Her powers turned that leg of his pants into shorts and the skin right away looked raw and since her arrow had only skimmed his leg, he had a red line where it cut him.

Her powers didn't do good things to these guys, how the heck was she the great-great-grandchild of one?

Feeling something hit her turned to find the black haired guy looking surprised, she figured he had finally used something powerful enough to actually reach her but it still had no effect. But his two companions had seen as well, together almost eerily in sink they started chanting all the same words but in low enough voices she couldn't make it out. The chant ended. The two she could see threw their hands out in an identical fashion. This time she could see black purple things, almost like black holes trying to form around her, focusing she tried to blast her power outwards. Instantly the things surrounding her vanished and the two Shinigami she could see flinched back. "Seriously guys, whatever magic spells you keep trying to subdue me with aren't working. Why don't you all just leave and I don't have to keep breaking swords and shooting people."

The black haired man spoke from her right; "Girl if you want to give up feel free."

She glared and fired her next shot his way, wishing she had a few sealing sutras to try on him. Her powers seemed almost as effective on them as they were on demons surely a sealing sutra might work. "I'll drop my weapon the moment you stop trying to kill Ichigo."

The silvered haired guy spoke up a nasty smirk on his face, "You defend him so passionately, are you in love little girl?"

Scowling she knew her cheeks had pinked but her only reply was firing another two arrows at him one after another; he dodged the first but her aiming for his sword with the second shot caught him off guard, so he had to drop the broken thing again. His eyes wide he kept the smirk on his face even as he shook his burnt hand. "Touchy."

Ichigo made a sound and turning her head she got to watch his leg reattach it's self, that for sure made five. Possible as many as seven, these guys were keeping her busy. She had most of a quiver left, but Ichigo was running out of time and only one guy had retreated from the fight. Not to mention her legs were starting to burn bad enough the adrenaline wasn't hiding it. She wasn't used to trying to boost her speed.

For all intents and purposes she and the three she was fighting were at a stand off, no clear winner, they could go higher on the power scale and kill her but not without killing more people. Which unless she and Ichigo became too much of threat was not the plan, the plan probably was to exhaust her and Ichigo and take them prisoner. She need to be kicking ass, not playing who-do-you-turn-your-back-on. It was a risk to herself but she might be better off trying to hurt Ichigo's opponents so he could come help her.

Firing the arrow on her string at her whitey, then she spun and fired two shots at the red head Ichigo was fighting. As planned he manage to sidestep into her other arrow, it buried it's self into his elbow and his sword shattered. But her opponents made a move, the black haired guy grabbed her left arm his hands and arms glowing strangely and the silver haired guy grabbed her right. Twisting her wrist she smacked blackie in the side with her bow and his clothes burnt away and she had the pleasure of watching the expressions of pain cross his face, but he twisted her arm hard enough she lost her bow. Struggling she noticed silver's hands were glowing the same way. Since their hands weren't burning it had to be some way of protecting themselves. She focused to try and burn the protections away while lifting her feet, kicking and throwing her weight around. She could tell they were having a hard time holding on to her but whitey was chanting, it was longer then any of the others. Her foot connected with silver's hurt leg; his eyes crossed and he was gritting his teeth loud enough for her to hear it. She snickered, served the jerk right.

"...Kin number 99!"

This spell also had a form; black bandages but the moment they touched her they burnt away, but she noted the efforts of fighting everything at once was close to killing her. This was literally killing her. But the men trying to hold her didn't seem to notice, but she had felt a pull on her soul like that only once before. The time she struggled to pull her soul back from Kikyo.

Seeing as that had come closer to sealing her, whitey started another chant faster, fast enough the words coming off his lips blurred together. The last few words came "...Bankin first song!"

Kagome saw her struggles with the men had turned her enough she was facing Ichigo who was fighting with the guy with the pink kimono, the red head was on the ground his clothes burnt, just holding his sword hilt, but Ichigo's white haired opponent was doing something too. His lips were moving like when the others had been trying to restrain her. Fabric started to cover her, she couldn't see Ichigo any more. The pressure barring down on her felt like she should be crushed but she didn't want to leave Ichigo alone. He'd been alone far too long.

She started to burn through the fabric, the men might have still been holding her arms she couldn't tell, she couldn't feel any part of her body, the only thing she could feel was the will she had. She wasn't going to lose. She was not going to be sealed. She was not going to die here. There was no way she leaving Ichigo.

"Use the second song idiot!"

"But it could kill her..."

She could see again, Ichigo was yelling her name almost in slow motion, the silver haired man was yelling at her white haired guy, he was looking mildly horrified and shocked but his lips formed the words second song. Heavy silver pins start to fall from the sky and she knew if any of them hit her she was dead. She was not going to die. Ichigo needed her.

A wave of pink left her body and she fell to her knees, black spots forming before her eyes. For a moment she thought she was blind but Ichigo finished calling her name and started a second call only to be cut off. The choked sound made her head fly up and she saw three yellow bars coming from his torso his arms clamped to his sides, then the pink captain lifted his sword and sliced across his chest.

She wanted to scream but it stayed locked in her chest. Ichigo's bright yellow eyes dimmed and the bars holding him up vanished, blood poured from his chest and as he fell she saw black-blue-purple light shinning from his chest.

The jewel.

The jewel in his chest he wanted gone.

The jewel in his chest causing this whole thing.

The jewel she couldn't remove from his body to free him.

A crazy, desperate idea formed in her head and she struggled to her feet, her legs could have been cut off for all she felt, running she saw all the Shinigami looking at her strangely. Each step jolted through her body, her legs had to be noddles that had to be why she was staggering. That or she was trying to run through an earthquake.

Falling to the ground a small part of her noted as hard as she fell her knees were going to be scraped up because she was in a pair of shorts. But her hands knew what to do, plunging them into the healing wounds she found the hard crystal. Not wanting to doom Ichigo to death by not letting him heal she had to keep her hands in his chest and let the jewel do it's thing. She started to feel like something was eating into her hands, it was starting to burn her. The jewel didn't want to die, but it had to keep healing Ichigo, keep everyone else there thinking he was Aizen, and hold Ichigo's hollow form. It didn't have the power to focus on her. Slowly pulling it from Ichigo's chest she watched the damage close up.

Ignoring everything else around her; it became her, the jewel, and Ichigo. She had to beat the jewel for him. She swore she would. This was her best chance.

The tainted light was starting to lash out of his chest flaring bright enough she was sure the captains would be able to see it, if it was letting them see anything of what she was doing. Gritting her teeth she remembered all the feelings of sadness or despair Ichigo had expressed. She couldn't afford to fail.

The pain was really starting to sink in, she had to compare it to the time she had been in acid because that had been the most physically painful thing she had ever experienced... until now. She was sure this was worse. The question might become if this worked who was carrying who into the house. This jewel was taking every bit of power she had left, not letting go was taking every bit of will power she had. This jewel was trying to consume her. Thats what it felt like, her powers were being towards it while she fought to pull them back and control it. But if anyone was getting eaten it was the jewel.

She was had beaten a jewel before. She never was going to be controlled by a jewel. Never.

Seeing Ichigo breathing under her hands she pulled her hands and the jewel all the way out of him. His form start to flicker. She was beating it. But now the jewel was focused one hundred percent on eating her. Flattening her hands together around the jewel she couldn't fail to noticed the tendrils the jewel was sending into her hands and up her arms. It really wanted to eat her.

She wasn't food.

That last thought sent a pulse of lavender down her body killing the tainted light trying to take over her. Focusing on killing it she didn't notice the light emanating from her in pulses timed to her heart beats. The Shinigami had retreated to the far edges of the shrine to prevent it from effecting them. Finally the pressure she was exerting on the jewel broke it. Feeling it shatter under her hands she pressed her hands flat together till she couldn't feel anything there. The moment it was fully gone she dropped any thoughts of being powerful. The jewel was gone and she wasn't sure she hadn't died too. Her mind had felt that thing's evil, maybe it hadn't started out that way but that last order had taken over it completely, it had lived to hurt Ichigo and she wouldn't allow that.

Flopping over on her side she didn't really notice that meant she was laying on Ichigo. But her attention was caught when an inch from her nose, white and black skin started pealing. Remembering that struggle had been for his sake she manage to get her aching muscles working well enough to sit up so as to watch him change back into his normal form.

It was strange to watch, surreal. Her friend without the make up. Without his defining mask. The black and white skin was pealing and a flaking off his body like old paint; The rich color of his skin surprised her because he'd had to cover up so much to hide the old form. But maybe that was why, he was regaining the form as it had been not how it had changed. His hair stayed the same but through his tattered shirt Kagome could see scars his old form never had, many of them should have killed him. Or would have had he been a normal human. Then she noticed her pulling the jewel out his of his chest had left some marks, the last spot to heal around her hands was outlined. The flesh that had still been open had closed while she fought the jewel, but the outline was there.

Then Ichigo's eyes fluttered open and he groaned; "Owww."

She was caught up in his normal, soft, warm brown eyes. In a slightly random manner she found herself debating whether they were melted milk chocolate or carmel from the store her father use to take her to. But then deiced it was likely both, eyes weren't the exact same shade all the time. He blinked at her slowly, "Kagome?"

"Hi. I did it."

He frowned up at her in a confused manner. "What?"

Amused she lifted his hand near her.

His eyes went wide and he held his normal flesh colored hand over his face, examining it. Then a soft smirk crossed his face and he turned his head back to look at her. "You did it."

She let her head drift into something of a nod. His hand fell back to the ground and the two of them sat in silence for a moment, Kagome wasn't sure about Ichigo but she was asking herself if she could actually get up and walk back to the house. Then some voices reminded her of all the people she and Ichigo had been fighting. Though the fact they actually were waiting for some answers was hopeful. Turning slowly Kagome found the old man standing over her, his sword drawn but not held threateningly. The other combatants stood in a half circle behind him. The group seemed to have an attitude of say one wrong word and we kill you. But she supposed if they thought Ichigo was dead and suddenly the man they were fighting turned in to a 'dead' friend they had right to be cautious.

"What was that?"

It was the older white haired guy who asked rather then the old man who was slowly looking from her to Ichigo and back again. But she didn't really care, it took a moment but she figured they meant her light show. "Me, killing the jewel."

At the strange looks from all around she struggled to remember what Ichigo called it, drawing a blank she was glad Ichigo answered for her.

"The Hogyoku. She destroyed it gramps."

No one seemed comfortable with Ichigo speaking, since she was only mostly sitting upright she was at just the right height to see the hands tightening about swords. Tired beyond belief she struggled to find some words. "Look folks Ichigo was here the whole time, only you thought he was Aizen because of the jewel. It was a trick."

Some looks were exchanged and Kagome found the pain growing to an all consuming level, if she didn't get moving she wasn't going to make it to the house to remove the sutras. Her eyes dropped to her swollen, blood crusted, burned hands. She probably couldn't do it anyway, good thing Ichigo's blood was in the ink, he could take it down. Seeing Ichigo didn't look much more awake then she did, she found something else to say. "Either attack us again or go away. I'm too tired to talk and Ichigo's the same. Come back tomorrow... actually come back the day after tomorrow we'll explain everything then."

She looked at Ichigo, his eyes were on the people standing at his feet to her side. "Ichigo you had better be able to get up on your own. I don't think I can help you."

His eyes darted back to her and he slowly nodded, he struggled to sit up and got his hands under himself. His arms were trembling with fatigue but he slowly slumped forward enough to stay upright. Kagome sighed and forced her numb legs up, wobbling she found herself on her feet.

Looking down at Ichigo she stared at him, he sighed and start struggling to his feet. He was upright for a moment and then he started falling sideways, remembering not to use her hands she let her body fall into his. The impact sent waves of pain through out the rest of her body and to hold back the whimper she bit her lip. But Ichigo noticed. "Sorry Kagome!"

Gritting her teeth against the sea of pain she felt like she was struggling not to drowned in she forced the words out. "It's okay. We link arms and get to the house without either of us falling. You take the sutra off the door we go in and I claim the shower first."

He nodded and she offered him her nearest arm, he straighten enough he wasn't leaning on her and wrapped his arm around hers. His eyes; she noted, were focused on the hand he could see. Her hands looked awful, blood outlined every strange shaped blister, the normal creases of her hands were changed and blood added to the strange colors her hands seemed to be turning. They had taken all about two steps back towards the house when a voice was cleared behind them.

Kagome was amused to note she and Ichigo looked back at the exact same time.

The red head had stepped forward looking both suspicious and hopeful, "Ichigo is that really you?"

"You stupid pineapple, what kinda of question is that? If you want proof ask me some question only I know the answer to."

The red head's face grew cross at the slight but Kagome was tempted to giggle when she realized with his hair pinned up his head looked like a pineapple. The red head grumbled a bit and she caught something that sounded like that made sense.

"Okay our first meeting, what was the first injury you dealt me."

Ichigo made a face, "Renji that's a stupid question, Byakuya and Ishida and probably Rukia could answer that."

The red head, now named Renji scowled, Ichigo shrugged the motion tugging on her arm in a painful way.

"Okay, I cut your chin for calling me weak while leaving yourself wide open."

The smirk that crossed Renji's face could only be described as relieved and happy. "It's you. I'm glad you didn't die."

Ichigo nodded slowly. "Thanks, but at the moment I'm really tired and Kagome here can't stay on her feet much longer. Come back the day after tomorrow like Kagome said. Bring Hat-and-clogs he'll probably think up a better set of questions so as to convince the rest of you."

The old man Ichigo called gramps nodded and the group of Shinigami vanished, the weight that had been making her wounds worse disappeared as well. Breathing deeply Kagome couldn't help but be relieved that had gone well. Well maybe not 'well' but no one died and she had freed Ichigo.

Ichigo and her wobbled their way back to the house; In her head Kagome knew it had taken them less them ten minutes, which considering it was less then a hundred yards was ridiculous, but at the same time her body could have swore it took longer. Standing in front of the kitchen door Ichigo struggled with the sutra, part of it was he seemed to have double vision, or that was what she was figuring considering his first few tries were way off to either side but he pealed it off. With her help he got the door open and they stepped into the kitchen to find the whole family waiting. Kagome let her eyes drift from one face to another, all of them looked pretty shocked by their appearances.

Kagome knew she had to be a sight, Ichigo was probably only recognized because of his height, and hair. His clothes were too bloody and torn to be something to judge by. Souta and her grandfather were distracted by Ichigo but her mother after a glance came back to her. Getting the rest of the way into the room Ichigo found an empty chair and collapsed into it. Suddenly standing her own Kagome felt off balance, it took a few moments but she found her center and started for the stairs, that's when her brother noticed her hands.

"Kagome your hands!"

Not bothering looking back Kagome only answered with; "I know Souta."

Reaching the stairs Kagome only vaguely paid attention to conversation back in the kitchen. With a deep breath she started up the stairs as Ichigo started apologizing for letting her get so hurt. Not feeling like she could stay to correct him she worked her way up the stairs, she had just reached the top when her mother followed her up. "Darling, I figured you would need some help undressing."

Kagome couldn't help it she hadn't even thought of that, tears coming to her eyes, she smiled. "Thanks, mom."

With her mother's help undressing, while painful wasn't a bad as the shock of seeing her body in the mirror; every inch of her body, her face, her arms, her chest and down was covered in budding bruises. It looked like she had been wrapped tightly in fabric, tight enough to bruise. No wonder those moments trapped in the biddings she had felt death nearing. But bruises was better then cuts or burns, the bruises only felt so bad now because her muscles underneath were sore too, that would fade in the next three days and even if the bruises lasted a full two week, they would only be sore the first week. But her hands were another story.

When her mother helped her just rinse blood off she had been crying and her mother hadn't been far from tears. But both of them knew she considered the cost worth while. That is when her mother learned where they come from.

"Kagome how are you going... these are really bad."

Kagome just nodded her teeth sinking deeper and deeper into her lip to keep back some of the more colorful words she had picked up from Inuyasha.

"At least they seem to only be second degree, so you shouldn't be in danger of any nerve damage even if at the moment you wish for a little less feeling. But how on earth did you get these? They look like chemical burns."

"These are from the jewel in Ichigo, he was dead on the ground his chest wide open, but I could see it. I knew we couldn't keep fighting his friends. So when I saw the jewel I realized that was my chance to get it out of him. But since it didn't like me with Ichigo insulating it, to my bare skin it was like acid. At least my feet and hands will match." Kagome forced a chuckle out from behind clenched teeth, her mother was cheeking the blisters for signs of popped ones or more discoloration. That could mean infection.

"They're clear, no signs of damaged blisters, I'll get the water luke warm, you rinse off and I'll have your nightgown waiting."

Her tears weren't from pain this time, it was relief, she hadn't even had to ask. "Thanks mom."

While her mother ran water to get the temperature right she stood and tried to stay that way, she felt weak as a kitten, moving the way she wanted was taking a lot of concentration. Once the water was the right temperature her mother stood and on way out she stopped to congratulate her. "You did good, Ichigo's free and you both came back alive. I'm so proud of you."

Tears welling again she just closed her eyes and held the words close to her heart, "Thanks mom."

Now laying on her bed part of her wishing her whole body wasn't bruised, she just focused on the good. Tomorrow was going to be a good day.

**Soul Society-Karakura Town**

Yamamoto sat in the dim light interior of a mostly unknown shop watching the face of the blond man across from him. The man had tensed the moment the captains had arrived, but the moment they had brought up the possible survival of Kurosaki Ichigo the man could have been made of stone. But the more information they gave him the more and more something akin to hope seem to grow.

"Any more observations to give me?"

Renji spoke up, "The first fight I thought I might be able wound or kill the girl before her powers destroyed my sword but 'Aizen' knocked her out of the way. At the time it made no sense 'Aizen' has never really protected anyone. But if it's been Ichigo the whole time and it was Hogyoku that was tricking us it made sense."

Urahara Kisuke nodded slowly, his eyes shinning under the shadow of his hat.

"Your conclusions Urahara?" asked the older man with white hair.

"I have to say everything you have told me makes sense if Ichigo Kurosaki has been the one you've been pursuing the whole time. It answers questions I've had since that day. For one I always wondered why Aizen didn't turn and attack me after I thought he broken free of my seal and killed Ichigo. Not to mention why he fled to the human world, or why Ichigo's body went missing."

The man paused for a second. "Well both his bodies. The one we thought was his murdered soul and his human one. Not to mention in every encounter after his escape, he only fought when attacked and even then never was there more damage then the minimum required to allow his escape."

"Then it's agreed Ichigo made it right?"

Everyone else in the room shook their heads or snickered at the thick red head.

"That's not true at all Renji, it is very possible Aizen has set this up to bring us, including me together where he can again crush all hope. Because if he broke free of my seal and it's not Ichigo being cursed by the jewel. Aizen broke free by letting the Hogyoku take my seal onto it's self and he was able because my calculations were incorrect. Meaning it's still us against his sword. But odds are good; If this person can answer my questions correctly and after we stood down someone doesn't die it's Ichigo."

"Then we are all in agreement?" The Captain Commander asked.

Nods came from the whole room.

**I was shocked about ten or so hours up and I already have fourteen new reviews! I guess people like this one hun. So heres the new chapter, I'm not totally done with the sixth and final chapter so for sure I should be done with it by next friday but remember I feel special and loved with every review! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Can't Stop Running**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha, don't own Bleach, so I don't own anything. So I admit it's another Bleach Inuyasha crossover done beauty and the beast style, I can't help it. I love the idea, and beauty and the beast is just so much fun to write. By the way Ichigo's form is that of his hollow in his last fight with Ulquiorra.**

**To Himawari-no-Ichizoku thanks for reviewing on all five chapter hope you won't kill me now that this one is up! ;) Thanks to everyone else who reviewed because now I have sixty reviews for a short story!**

**Chapter Six**

**August 4th 11:25 a.m.**

Kagome stumbled down the stairs wishing she could have just stayed in bed. But once she had gotten up to go to the bathroom, going downstairs for lunch seemed practical, her aching would subside faster with increased blood flow to her muscles. At least in theory.

The moment she reached the kitchen; she collapsed in the closest chair to catch her breath and try to rid herself of the stars moving caused. It took a minute but sitting down helped, opening her eyes she found her mother smiling at her. "Good morning honey. Lunch will be another fifteen minutes."

Kagome nodded. "It's fine mom. Did Ichigo wake up yet?"

"I got him to eat something for breakfast but the poor dear still seemed half asleep. But at least he woke up this morning unlike you. Both of you skipped dinner. But I did get a close up of his bare chest."

Her mother sent a smirk her way and Kagome steadfastly ignored the teasing.

"He seemed to have an odd almost butterfly like scar on his chest. Was that from you?"

Kagome shrugged and then flinched, just that hurt. So she answered out loud. "I think so, the outline matches where the last of my hands and fingers left his chest. I took it out slowly so he would keep healing. I didn't want to kill him while saving him."

Her mother nodded and went back to cooking, a few minutes later her brother came in from outside, his clothes had drying brown spots on them.

"Get all the blood off Souta?"

Her brother stopped and stared at her, "Err. Yeah. The courtyard is clean again. You know you're purple right?"

**2:47 p.m.**

Kagome was sitting in front of the TV up until a half an hour ago she had been watching it with her grandfather, but a large group had showed up to visit the shrine so he had slipped out while her mother ran the small gift shop. Souta had gone to a friend's for the afternoon, so in theory it was just her and Ichigo in the house. But she hadn't seen him yesterday and despite her plans to stay up for dinner she found she was getting sleepy. She had really pushed her powers and her body the day before so she was thinking about giving in. Not to mention Ichigo's friends were coming the next day at some time so she'd need to be rested.

Then to her surprise she heard movement upstairs. Ichigo was up.

She was debating on getting up to greet him when he came running down the stairs; his face was flushed and he had a big smile on his face. He was stunning. It was a strange thought, girls didn't normally think of guys that way, but he was. She had never seen him so thrilled about anything. He seemed so detached all the time. He skidded to a stop a foot from her spot on the couch, he bent down and in one quick motion kissed her full on the lips.

She was shocked and stared at him, what was he so happy about?

He stared at her and suddenly seemed to realize his lips were still touching hers. He jerked away turning beet red. "Sorry Kagome. I just woke up and realized I'm human again. Sorry."

"It's fine. You were excited. I'm glad we got you free."

Ichigo looked at her seeming shocked she wasn't reacting more before deciding to take his que from her. His blush still in full force he tried to calm down. "Yeah thanks a lot. Sorry you got so beat up though. I think I didn't realize just how badly off you were yesterday."

He was inspecting her, his eyes lingering on her hands and that arm that was still scrapped up, but the way his eyes trailed over her face she knew he felt bad that she was a walking bruise. "Yep I am now the human grape and will probably be some other strange color tomorrow."

Ichigo snorted. "No really Kagome, I'm sorry you got so hurt."

"You're one to talk mister-every-time-I-turn-around-he's-got-a-new-wound."

Ichigo shrugged, "I'm use to it, I could take it. You however faced three captains and still managed to help me. I saw all that shooting. Hitsugaya. Renji. Yamamoto."

Kagome made a face. "You seem to be naming people but aside from Renji I have no clue who your talking about."

Ichigo frowned. "Right I never got around to telling you who was who did I. Can I sit down?"

"Yes."

He sat on the after end of the couch still feeling self conscious she was guessing. "Renji; guy with red hair, ranked Lieutenant but captain level. The old guy with the beard, Yamamoto; leader of the group and scary powerful. The older guy with white hair, Ukitake; Good guy and sick with something. Guy with silver hair, Gin; not sure how he's around last I knew he was dead on the ground. Though I suppose Orihime could have healed him. Guy with long black hair and a stiff expression Byakuya Kuchiki; good guy over all I suppose but stiff. The woman was Unohana; the healer and dead scary. The guy with the pink kimono is Kyoraku. The young kid with white hair is Hitsugaya, tough and at times a bit of hot head."

Kagome nodded along mentally noting down the names, but as he talked a more pressing question occurred to her. "Ichigo you can go home now, what are you going to do?"

From his surprised look he had no clue either.

**August 5th 1:02 p.m.**

Ichigo had just finished putting dishes away- he had taken over Kagome chores because her hands were still too badly burned. He felt really bad about that. She had told him his new scars came from what she had to do to get it out, but he couldn't care less. So what he had another scar, it hadn't hurt him. But the scars she was going to have, those were from a lot of pain. Last night Kagome hadn't finished her dinner because she didn't want him to know she couldn't hold her chopsticks any longer, he had figured it out when he saw her mother feeding her after everyone else was done and had left the kitchen.

Not to mention he had been a totally idiot yesterday afternoon when he had woken, gone to the bathroom only to have his human face staring back at him. He had rushed to Kagome's room, finding she wasn't there he had rushed downstairs to see her on the couch. The first thing that had popped into his head had been to kiss her. He done it without thinking. He'd just gone with his instincts. First impulse.

At least Kagome hadn't made a big deal out of it, not more then a surprised look later they were back to talking like normal. Of course that gave him a chance to look her over and see the full price she had paid to help him. Bruises marred every inch of skin he could see and he was betting all the skin he couldn't see. The scrape from the first fight was still bandaged, he was betting the pressure that bruised her skin broke the scabs open. Not to mention the second degree burns covering her entire hands.

It brought mixed feelings to the surface; anger with his friends, himself and even her. His friends for falling for it, himself for being too weak to protect her. At her because she didn't have the sense to run it and that she cared to even try to protect him. He didn't want to be protected. Relief; she had kept her promise. To the word with every deed she did. Guilt; she had gotten so hurt, she had helped him and all he'd done was be weak. Admiration; he'd met some pretty tough girls but she took the cake in his mind. She wasn't just a strong body, she had heart. It was in everything she did. She meant it.

And the last feeling wasn't something he was sure he could say out loud. He had known he'd liked Kagome, had from almost day one. That had grown with every day he'd spent at the shrine. How could you not love someone for taking you in, protecting you, feeding you? But he was starting feel like he had fallen in love with her. He wasn't stupid. He loved all his friends in one way or other. Chad was his brother in spirit. Tatsuki was like a big sister or a cousin not someone you always liked but someone you listened to. Renji was someone he mostly respected. Rukia was the same. For a time he had harbored hopes but he figured they were dead by the time they were getting to ready to leave Soul Society after rescuing her, and he buried them when despite everything she didn't go back with them. Orihime was a lot like his sisters to him. She was pretty but not his type. He liked a girl that was direct. Up front. Someone not afraid to say it like it was.

Kagome was kinda everything he'd liked in girls before but different. She could fight like Tatsuki, Rukia and even Orihime. But she didn't like to fight. She could cook. She had a temper but didn't always use it. She was thoughtful. Kind. Nosy without being rude or mean about it. She had dark hair. He liked that, light hair was exotic but he knew how horrible it could be to stand out. Her soft chocolate eyes were warm but the dark color always reminded him she knew how to keep a secret.

Because of her he could go home. See his sisters, his father, mock Ishida, listen to Chad play again.

He owed her everything.

This was more, what she had done was more then anything anyone else... save Chad had ever done for him.

Something that had been bugging him clicked, he could feel Shinigami coming. No blood lust he could sense. They were coming to talk. He needed to find Kagome. He left the hall where he'd been standing for the last few minutes, he found Kagome in the living room again. He hadn't even opened his mouth when Kagome told him she knew. So he went to the front door. Mrs. Higurashi was working the shop, Grandpa was who knows where... Actually he was at the doctor's by now. Souta had gone with him. That's why the house was so quiet.

Feeling the power get closer to the door he opened it, stepping out he saw Kisuke, Renji, Yamamoto, Ukitake, Shunshui, Unohana, Byakuya, Gin, Hitsugaya. Ichigo noted Renji, Hitsugaya and Gin were moving a bit stiffly, not just slightly mad but like in pain, stiffly. Ichigo found himself wondering if beyond hurting Zanpakuto Kagome's powers were immune to Kido too. Those were the people he remembered her beating up the most. She shot Renji and Hitsugaya. Since they were still a few feet from the door he just waved at them. "Come on in. Kagome's inside, make sure to shut the door."

He turned and lead the way to living room, he heard the door shut behind him, so he didn't bother looking back. Reaching the living room he noted Kagome was tensely holding something by her leg, upon seeing him her grip loosened and her hands moved to her lap. Sitting in the chair closest to her he saw it was an arrow. She was still protecting him.

Watching the others arrange themselves about the room he notice Gin had a limp and Byakuya was moving slowly. Kagome had kicked ass. He felt bad that he was so proud of her for hurting good people, but she had done such a good job and they were captains. He might just be proud of her for that. For humbling them just a little.

That was when in a blur of motion Ichigo found half a dozen swords to his throat. Seeing Kagome moving to take a hold of her arrow he motioned with his hand, she saw and stopped but didn't relax. "I assume Urahara you have some questions for me so I can prove I'm myself and not Aizen?"

His first teacher smirked and tilted that stupid hat at him, the gleam in his eyes a familiar one. This was going to be embarrassing.

"What was the first thing you saw when you woke in my shop after Rukia was taken back to soul society?"

Ichigo wasn't sure why that was the first question but answered all the same. "Tessai, it was really creepy the way he was leaning over me."

Urahara nodded and Ichigo assumed he was nodding to the Shinigami with swords to his throat so they wouldn't kill him. "Next question; What did I make you say in the first step to getting your powers back?"

Ichigo scowled, seething at the memory. Of course the bastard would ask that. He had always tried to forget it happened, it was one of the reasons he often found himself thinking about a world without Kisuke Urahara in it. "I should kill you just for mentioning that in public you bastard." he sighed. "What you told me to say was' The amazing head band of justice in place. The amazing armor of justice protect me now."

The room was silent but Ichigo saw Urahara's smirk growing. "You really are a cruel and unusual man. With a cat fetish."

Throwing that out there made him feel little better, he knew Urahara was in love with Yoruichi even if she herself was a free spirit. Kagome looked amused and so did most everyone else in the room, Urahara seemed pleased but the swords still hadn't been lowered. "What's the next one?"

"How long did you have in the second part?"

Ichigo frowned the true second tasks was finding Zangetsu's name by knocking the dumb hat off his head but before that he needed his powers back properly. That had been the time his hollow was born. "I had seventy-two hours but I was done in seventy."

Urahara's amusement died away. "Correct. What did you say to me in the third task?"

Ichigo felt a full fledged smirk break out across his face. "Like I would forget that. I told you that I had sworn to myself if I survived I was going to kill you. You told me the next part of my training and said it had no time limit. I told you I would be done in five minutes."

"How did I tell you to come to the shop for the invasion of Soul Society?"

Ichigo sighed, it made sense his dad was a soul reaper, him and Kisuke were a lot alike. "You had me open my window and something splattered on my wall and it looked like some cliched murder scene."

Urahara smirked, "It's probably him, let go."

The swords disappeared and Hitsugaya stepped out from where he had been flanking Kagome with Ukitake. "Great you believe it's me. What'd you wanna know?"

Urahara spoke from where he had sat down on the rug. "Well for one how did Aizen do that? Trick us into thinking you were him?"

Ichigo sighed, this would take a while. And two hours later the Shinigami were satisfied with his answers. That was when Urahara told him his family were in the city waiting to hear from Kisuke. They were staying in hotel. Ichigo had learned like he thought the moment he entered the real world his body vanished. So the story (for everyone without powers to see) was that some gang members had probably killed him since no one had heard from him. It was a bit ironic the truth was so close to fiction. But it meant the captains and Renji left and Ichigo was ready to start pacing he hadn't seen his sisters since last October. Karin was going to be furious and Yuzu was going to cry.

Kagome calmed him; "Ichigo it's okay. They might be mad but mostly they'll just be happy you're okay. All we have to tell your sisters is you were on the run and imply you stayed here the whole time. That's all they need to know. Your dad will probably know other wise but... nothing you can do about that. Now I'm gonna go tell mom we'll be having three more people over for dinner. If you're still so nervous go shower and pull on something else."

He nodded and went to do just that, but it stayed on his mind how well she knew him. How easily she calmed him. No one else besides his mother had done that.

**Kagome**

Kagome walked outside as fast as her sore legs could take her. She wasn't mad at him per say as mad at everything. His stupid 'friends' or 'allies' had put swords to his throat and he hadn't even cared. She had been ready for some ass kicking; even if in the close quarters and no bow and the general state of her body it was likely to be her ass as long as they didn't kill him. It would be the last time he died. But he had just shaken his head before she had even done anything, his eyes flicked to the two flanking her. She knew he didn't care about his own life but in her living room realizing she was pretty much helpless infuriated her. She had to sit and listen as Ichigo spoke to Urahara about things that clearly annoyed him.

He could have miss remembered something or the idiot in the hat could have asked a question Ichigo didn't know the answer to, or they could have just decided to kill him and be done with doubts. Kagome found her mother working the small shop they sold charms from. "Mom Ichigo's friends believe him now and his two sisters and his dad are coming for dinner."

Her mother turned towards her and saw how upset she was. "Kagome that's not what you really want to tell me, now is it?"

Kagome sighed and felt tears start welling, if she couldn't beat someone up she needed to cry. "Mom I need a hug."

Her mother reached out and Kagome fell willingly into her arms. Crying she let her anger and fear out, soon she calmed and her mother asked her again. "Now what's really got you so upset?"

"Ichigo's friends came but they wanted to test his identity, they put swords to his throat from every side and Ichigo told me not to help him, I had to sit there useless while they questioned him!"

"Is that all?" Her mother favored her with a knowing look.

Kagome felt something crumble and tears started down her face again. "He's gonna leave."

Her mother pulled her close again. "Kagome you knew he probably would have to from the beginning. At least this time he lives in the right time, he can call you and you him. He's not the sort of boy to forget what you did for him. I wouldn't be surprised if for winter break he asked you to come and meet his normal friends."

Kagome pulled away and wiped at her tears. "I know.. I know mom... but... we just clicked. I hadn't realized how much I missed..." Kagome wasn't sure how to phase it but her mother picked up the slack.

"A friend who would have your back? Someone you could fight with not just for?"

Kagome nodded, all applied. But knew she needed to say it out loud. "Not to mention polite and appreciative, and unconventionally handsome."

Her mother smirked, but said nothing letting her go on.

"Protective, kind but tough. Strong, and..." Kagome sighed, she was in love with him. "I'm gonna go get changed."

Her mother chuckled but called after her as she left the small shop. "He cares about you too you know."

Kagome did know, but that didn't mean she could ask him to stay. He had family and like her mother said, they would be able to talk to each other.

It took another hour before Ichigo's family showed up, Souta and Grandpa had made Ichigo do most of the work but they were eating in the living room where there was room for everyone rather then the kitchen. But to make the living room look nice had taken some rearranging.

Kagome had to admit her first impression of Ichigo's family was how-the-hell-is-that-Ichigo's-father? The man tried to greet Ichigo by punching him in the nose. But Ichigo seemed to have been expecting it because he dodged and tripped his father before greeting his sisters. Twins likeable, but totally different in looks and personality. One was trying to play it cool; the slight wet gleam to her eyes gave it away, but considering her twin was hugging their brother and bawling her eyes out it wasn't too bad a reaction.

Ichigo introduced his family to hers and Kagome tried to lock the twin's names down, dark hair Karin, the one with hair two shades lighter then Ichigo's was Yuzu. Yuzu was the sensitive one and Karin so far had butted heads with her brother over soccer teams. So she was the one most like Ichigo.

Kagome watched and lightly chatted with Ichigo's family over the next half an hour and by the end of it she wanted to throw Isshin out the door. He was really annoying. Not once did he seem to care or show any sign caring about what his son had been doing for the last nine months. Kagome and her family had agreed to be mum on how long he'd stayed with them so his sisters didn't know he'd been homeless for most of the time he was gone. But his father? She was figuring Ichigo took after his mom.

Isshin had waxed poetically about how pretty she was and how Ichigo took after his father, never mind she was blotchy purple-blue with touches of green. And had bandages half way up her arms. Karin had asked on the sly if she got the bruises and the bandages helping her dumb brother. Kagome had answered with a positive and Karin hadn't asked more just nodded and went back to arguing with Souta.

Finally fed up with the annoying man twirling around her and messing with her mother's concentration while cooking she stuck her foot out and didn't reacted at all when he tripped over her foot and knocked himself out on the TV table. Tucking her foot back under her she blinked innocently when all eyes turned to her after checking on the unconscious man laying on the floor. Kagome wasn't worried Ichigo had already hit him hard enough to knock him out twice without effecting him and seemed to have broken his nose once.

Karin smirked at her and Ichigo gave her a quick smirk before going back to talking to Yuzu, who was looking between Ichigo and her with questioning eyes. The relative silence was pleasant to her ears.

Then her mother announced dinner was done and just like that Isshin Kurosaki was up and moving to help her bring everything out to the living room. After the blessing everyone was digging in and soon all the Kurosaki's save Ichigo were exclaiming over her mother's cooking, Yuzu wanted lessons, Karin was asking if she could move in and teasing Ichigo about having stayed just for the food, Isshin was clearly teasing her mother about moving back home to his home. Ichigo just looked content to know his family was safe and sound.

Then the dinner was over Ichigo's family was leaving for the hotel promising to be back in the morning to pick Ichigo up. Watching Ichigo pick up Kagome knew this probably her best moment to say good bye.

"Ichigo?"

"Yes?" he turned to her.

"I'm gonna miss you."

His face turned serious. "I'm going to miss you too Kagome. I can't believe I've only lived here for a few days more then two weeks."

Kagome tried to grin. "Neither can I."

Ichigo looked at his feet and then back to her determination coloring his eyes dark. "Kagome I might be loosing my powers, I doubt I'll be able to see anything in a few more days but if you ever need help I'll come. I'll help. I owe you everything. Tonight, tomorrow, yesterday."

Kagome nodded, he was the type to remember a debt, the odds were good however she wouldn't ever have a reason to call it due. Time traveling then this, yep that was enough adventures for a life time. "Same, if you ever need help call me. Speaking of which what's your number, that way we can talk."

Ichigo nodded and gave her the number and she knew both of them were thinking it wouldn't be the same.

**August 6th 9:17 a.m. Ichigo**

Kagome had hugged him goodbye. He looked about the train for the fifth or sixth time. He couldn't believe he was going home. Karakura town. He didn't have to wear his hood up and avoid the bright light and windows. He could sit out in the open like everyone else. He could talk to his friends and they would hear his words and not Aizen.

This was surreal.

Even when he'd dared to dream about being free this wasn't what it felt like. It had been a dream come true, he'd been happy and smiling and thrilled, his life could go on again. But instead he felt a sense of loss. He wasn't going to get to see Kagome, or the god tree, or work in the shrine. It was going to be school, answering questions, studying.

He almost didn't want to leave.

"So Ichigo, what are your feelings for this girl Kagome?" Karin was watching him closely as was Yuzu and his father.

He flushed trying to find words but they knew from his flush alone.

**August 7th 8:46 p.m. Kagome**

Kagome was sitting in her room, she had just gotten off the phone with Eri planning a movie day at her house in three days. Kagome was hoping the bruising would have faded but wasn't holding her breath, she still was sore and she'd still have the burns. She had already thought up a cover story. One of the shelves in one of the storage sheds fell bruising her and one jar burned her hands.

But she had been almost sick with worry today, Souta had teased her and her mother had told her to call, but she hadn't and now she wished she had. She was worried about Ichigo, his friends could have changed their minds. Of course, he could have been hit by a car or run over my a train. Her worries were ridiculous but she worried anyway. After spending everyday with Ichigo for weeks this sudden change felt like a new wound. It hurt. She missed him. And it hadn't even been two days.

Flopping back on the bed she regretted the action because her shoulders and back were still sore. She needed to adjust, she could still talk to him and he wasn't in trouble or on the run, he'd just gone home.

**August 8th 12:43 p.m. Ichigo**

Ichigo had spent the morning and most of the day before doing catch up school work. So far it seemed like Kagome lending him her books had really paid off, but his head was starting to hurt, and he had more to do after lunch. Chad, Tatsuki, Orihime and Ishida had come to visit. To his surprise Orihime and Ishida were dating, which was great; maybe Orihime wouldn't moon after him so much now. But it meant things weren't as comfortable between them as before, not to mention with his being on the run he'd never caught Tatsuki up himself so she had some words with him about that. He'd missed his friends while on the run, missed school, missed home, missed his sisters, and in his crazier moments missed his dad. But now that he had all that back, save his powers he could only hear hollows now, not even see them.

He missed Kagome, he missed the food her and her mom would feed him, he missed Souta, he really missed Kagome, he even missed Grandfather. And slaving away for him.

Standing between his friends as they chatted about their part time jobs, not that he had one at the moment - not a month before his only way of making money was to pick a pocket. He found himself torn, this was his old life, powers had been a big part of it. His friends that he'd made because of the powers were an equal part of it, the gangs, every familiar corner. He knew it was his past, and oddly he wanted to keep it there. He'd had a chance to say good bye put his foot in the door and take one last look. But he found what he wanted now was shorter then him, feisty, brown-eyed with black hair.

"So Ichigo you told us it was the Hogyoku in your chest that made you seem to be Aizen and you said it was destroyed freeing you. But the rest was surprisingly free of details." Ichigo glanced at Ishida and figured the other boy had asked not because he was curious but because he had been distant.

Tilting his head back, he let his mind wander as he answered: "I met a girl, Kagome. A shrine keeper's granddaughter and a powerful priestess of her own right. She saw the Hogyoku and thought it was something she had beaten once. She chased me half a city over before cornering me and offering to remove it. As it was in my chest and it kept attacking her you can see the problem. In the end someone, I don't remember who had cut my chest wide open and she realized that was her chance to remove it. In doing so she killed it. We recovered, convinced the captains and Renji not to kill us and I came back here. Not to much else to the story."

His friends were all giving him strange looks.

"What?"

Orihime was fiddling with the wrapper from her lunch. Ishida was watching her. Tatsuki was staring at him, and Chad looked a little sad. "No really, what?"

Tatsuki spoke, "You've really changed."

Ichigo shrugged. "I was on the run for months here, and I was alone and every time someone who knew me saw me they tried to kill me and the normal person ran away screaming. You would change too."

Chad added his part here, "No Ichigo, it's not that. You're more at peace now. You seem... less driven? Less angry, something has calmed you."

Ichigo felt his lips twitch, Kagome a calming influence on him? It sounded silly because it seemed like she was always trying to comfortable him or calm him down, or smack him for something wasn't his fault. She really did things that reminded him of Tatsuki and Rukia but was much softer than them. Not that she couldn't fight but... Nodding he glanced at his watch, he needed to be getting back for his tests. "I might be, but it's hard to be angry after avoiding fights for so long. Maybe I've learned when to backdown."

Walking away he knew he'd lied. He wasn't any less angry in the dark corners of his soul, if anything the dark shadows had grown, but he had seen the light.

**August 9th 6:23 p.m. Ichigo**

Ichigo had been hoping Kagome would call today, they had exchanged phone numbers but so far she hadn't. He wondered if she was trying to give him time to settle back in, or if it was more along the lines of she had been recovering, or even if was because she didn't miss him like he missed her. He had to admit to himself that seemed most likely, he was the one who'd had to depend on her, he'd been the weakling. Not the sort of guy girls' go for. But he could hope. He knew normal boring guys weren't to her taste nor was persistence. Her avoidance of Hojo drove that home. He'd seen him at the festival and despite hearing the boy looking for her it always seemed Kagome was where he wasn't... strangely enough.

He set his book down and stared at the phone sitting innocently on the base. He could call her. He really could, he had her number and everything.

But he wouldn't, if she had any reason not to call him he didn't want to... to face the fact he was bothering her. It stood to reason that from her record with saving people she had something of a history for attracting men who would chase her without their interest being returned and he didn't want to join the line. Yuzu shouted that dinner was done and he moved his feet from the coffee table, there was always tomorrow to hear from her.

**August 10th 8:02 p.m. Kagome**

Kagome stared at the phone; she was sitting in the living room with her brother, pretending to watch the newest Naruto movie while really waiting for the phone to ring. She had never missed Inuyasha like this, she had worried for him, like when she had been trapped on this side of the well, but half the problem was she knew he was injured and facing dangerous odds. This time she had every reason to believe Ichigo was fine, more then even. He was home, with his friends and family. Friends and family he was willing to die for. But she found she selfishly wanted him with her.

If she thought her mother could stand it she would have asked to switch schools so she could go to him. But after her adventures through the well she felt she didn't have the right to ask. She had missed a year of school and many family moments. Asking to miss more because she was in love with a boy was cruel, for college maybe but she had most of a school year and another full year of school before that. One year and if she felt the same she could chase him down. Ichigo had said something about visiting and she was going to call him tomorrow for sure. She would. The fight on screen caught her attention.

**August 11th 6:10 p.m. Ichigo**

Ichigo looked up from his books at the first ring of the phone. He didn't deny he hoped it was Kagome. It had been five days and each one was surprisingly painful, she had been in his life for over three weeks by now, and only two and half of that with him. By all rights he shouldn't miss her this much.

Yuzu shouted it was Kagome.

He was up in a flash and out of his room, down the hall, crashing down the stairs. Then he reached Yuzu, who was holding the phone for him, amusement written on her face. Taking it he tried to steady his breathing. _"Hi Kagome."_

"_Hi Ichigo."_ He suddenly noticed his sister was still standing next to him listening, waving a hand he tried to shoo her away but her smile only grew wider. Realizing she wanted to listen, he knew; if she was curious his dad would be a pain so he headed back to his room. She pouted at him but he knew she wouldn't follow. _"So how have things at the shrine been?"_

"_Good, Hojo came and pestered me again, I swear that brat is so annoying! Why can't he take a hint or a dozen of them!"_

Chuckling he shook his head, it was funny if only because the boy in question was older than them but it was even funnier that it fit. He was a brat.

"_So how about you?"_

He told her about his tests, about how his friends had changed, how he was happy Orihime was dating Ishida, mildly comparing her to Hojo. Talking about how they had told him he'd changed, how he hadn't told them or his family anything about being on the run. How he'd been amused by the punks that normally bothered him just running away after he glared them into submission. They had fallen into old habits of words, feelings and thoughts just being shared.

It was a shock to have Yuzu yell for him again, telling him it was dinner and finding out they had talked for more then an hour. _"So dinner's done, I need to go. Talk to you again?"_

"_Yeah that'd be good. The thirteenth?"_

He grinned into the phone he wasn't the only one who had missed talking. _"Yeah talk to about the same time alright?"_

"_Yep. Goodnight."_

"_Goodnight."_ He heard the click as she hung up and he pulled the phone away from his ear, the warm glow talking to her had given him fading away. Pressing the end button he headed down stairs and put the phone back on the hook, sidestepping his father. Ignoring the bang as his father smashed into the wall he noticed Yuzu was spoiling him. Looking to her he noted the eager look.

"Looks really good Yuzu, thanks." He patted her on the head while going to his seat. That was something his sisters had commented on, he was more willing to be friendly and touch them. He had told them it was kinda hard not to get use to being touchy with the Higurashis, Kagome and her mother always patting your hand or head. Hugs were normal, Souta wanted to wrestle even if he didn't win, grandpa slapping sutras on you.

By contrast his family had his dad. If he was being touched by his dad it was: A bring attacked, or B being really-really disturbing or even more rarely taking care him when he was sick. So touching before the Higurashis was not something he had enjoyed. It had been different when his mother was alive, she had always ruffed his hair, or given him hugs or cleaned his face, but his dad had only really hugged his sisters. He hadn't minded because his mother had once told him his father wanted him to be a man, but she wanted him to be her boy.

Eating he found himself thinking about Kagome and how just hearing her voice made him happy.

**August 12th 12:03 p.m. Ichigo**

Today was Ichigo's last day of catch up testing, and he found himself in good spirits after talking to Kagome the night before, even if not talking to her made him miss her that much more. Chad had joined him for lunch and his friend could see the difference in his mood. Telling Chad more about Kagome he found his friend eyeing him in a considering manner.

Finally his friend asked what was on his mind. "Ichigo if she's that great, if you care for her that much why are you here?"

Ichigo opened his mouth to answer but paused to think about it, everyone now knew he was alive and well, his powers were almost gone. He wasn't sure if he could still hear hollows or not, there wasn't anything he could do to protect everyone from hollows. He had said this was his past. Powers, adventures... put it that way and why was he still here? "I'm not sure Chad. I think I still feel like I owe everyone here something."

His friend and almost brother looked up considering the clouds. "Ichigo I think what you feel is you want the missing time back. You want something to confirm that's over. But I think what you're really searching for is back in Tokyo."

He looked at his friend sharply, but stopped the reflexive denial. His friend hadn't said he was looking for Kagome, or a fight or anything. Just that maybe he would feel better going back rather then staying. "If I do that Chad, I won't have your back."

His friend turned back to him and smiled and flexed his arms. "Ichigo you've given me something else. My will to protect, the power to do so. You may not be here, but you'd still have my back."

"Maybe you're right."

**August 13th 8:01 p.m. Kagome **

Kagome though about the conversation she'd had with Ichigo. They had talked like they had before he left, and she was as always, struck by easy it was. Her friends had to drag stuff out of her, even Sango who had been closer to her then her own mother had to hint at things before she'd speak freely. With Ichigo she just talked. Silly stories about her time through the well, the not so silly ones, the times at school, how Hojo drove her up the wall. Just things in her head that she had always wanted to tell someone but stuff so minor she never could bring up to others.

All of it. The warm feeling in her chest just hearing his voice gave her, the butterflies his body gave her and the easy trust they had made her know she was in love with him. But she wasn't sure he felt the same. He trusted her, that much was clear but he trusted his friends too.

**August 14th 10:49 a.m. Ichigo**

Ichigo scowled at his bedroom wall, blankly. What Chad had said the day before was bothering him. He had felt Karakura was his past, but could he really just leave? Could he just go back to Tokyo with every intent of staying and asking Kagome to go out with him? Was it right to leave his sisters alone? Sure they had survived the last several months, but did he want to willingly leave them?

He let the book he'd been trying to read drop on his chest while he ran a hand over his eyes.

Kagome or his sisters was how it was starting to feel, but he was pretty sure that wasn't how it really was. Karin was the one with powers now and Yuzu was her twin. Tokyo was only a few hours by train away and he could come back for the winter and spring breaks and his family could come out for the summer break.

It could work, but was it worth it to him?

**August 15th 5:51 p.m. **

Ichigo dialed the phone, for the first time he was the one calling Kagome, he was a little worried it was too early and she'd be out with the friends she'd avoided for his sake, but he didn't want to wait any longer to hear her voice. The phone was picked up and he recognized grandfather speaking. "Grandpa I'd like to talk to Kagome."

He heard the old man shout for Kagome and the some background noise later her voice came to him over the phone. Unconsciously he exhaled, hearing her voice was good. Talking to her was great but he still missed her. He wanted to watch her hands narrate her stories and watch her dark eyes flash with humor or anger as she told him more of her adventures or even just her day. He didn't want to wait till college to go back to Tokyo.

**August 16th 7:15 p.m.**

Ichigo glanced around the table, his sisters were eating quietly and his dad was busy reading something from work, he thought it was some new medical study but wasn't sure. But he had decided he wanted to leave Karakura and go back to Tokyo yesterday, if that was going to happen it would take time to switch schools. He needed to talk about it now. "Yuzu, Karin, Goat-face. We need to talk."

Everyone looked at him, his dad set the papers down and with a serious look said; "You want to go back to Tokyo."

Ichigo was partially surprised but knew it made sense they could guess what he wanted to talk about. "Yes."

His father's serious look disappeared and the goofy crazy persona he knew better was back. Isshin leaped from his chair and tried to grab him in a head lock while shouting about how he took after his father with the ladies and how he just wanted to go to Tokyo to get out from under his father's watchful eyes to have sex with his girl. It was brief struggle but he pinned his father, twisting his arms brutally behind his back Ichigo ground out that he didn't want to hear his father say anything like that about Kagome ever again. That was when his sisters' more reasonable comments could be heard.

"Ichigo-nii what about us?" Yuzu asked tearfully.

He sighed but tightened his grip on his father. "Yuzu I love you and Karin but I want to go back to Tokyo. I'd visit for winter break and spring break and you come out for summer break. But I don't belong here. Not any more."

Karin spoke up, "It's about this Kagome isn't it?"

Ichigo held in a groan, and kicked his struggling father in side, even as he sat on him. "Karin the answer is yes. It's about Kagome. I don't know if you realize it, but if not for her I wouldn't be here. You would still think I had died and Aizen was on the loose. She faced Shinigami captains for me, and her powers while totally different from yours are about as strong as yours. She almost died for me. I owe her a lot. And I miss her. I can call and we'd see each other, but I don't fit here anymore."

Karin nodded slowly, while Yuzu wiped at her tears.

Ichigo refocused on his dad, lifting his face off the floor enough so he could talk he asked carefully. "So, are you going to bring up sex and Kagome in the same sentence again?"

"No my son, it speaks well of you that you would defend your lady's honor so violently! Why it reminds me of the time..."

Ichigo shoved his face back into the floor, to stop him from going off about his mother and their courtship. Lifting him back up again he asked calmly. "Now, are you going to help me surprise her?"

"Of course, my son, and I'll try to convince Kagome's mother to allow you a betrothal!"

He slammed his father's head into the floor. "Idiot! Who wants to be betrothed?! Goat-face don't you dare!"

**August 19th 9:00 p.m.**

It had been a busy three days getting ready to move to Tokyo but Ichigo was pleased, he had a few tests to take in Tokyo to make it into Kagome's class but his teachers here had been planning to let him stay in his old class. Because his grades had been good enough - not his normal standard but good enough to stay in the same class. Kagome's school was willing to let him transfer because of his decent grades, it was just which class he'd be in.

He was also pleased because despite having talked to Kagome twice she still had no clue he was coming back. His father had talked to both Mrs. Higurashi and Grandfather in secret about him moving back, his dad would pay for any schooling stuff and a small fee for his food and other living expenses but other wise he was back in the office at the Shrine.

He looked about his room, everything was packed up save the furniture. His clothes, his books, his pictures and posters werein boxes. Tomorrow's clothes were laid out and his family had plans to spend the next two days in Tokyo with him. His friends had already said their good byes. Bittersweet though it was Ichigo couldn't help but feel like it was a healing wound. He was almost free of the pain even if he was left with a mark afterwards.

**August 20th 1:09 p.m. Kagome**

Kagome walked up the last few steps of the shrine, her hands were full of groceries but in spite of that she didn't rush on into the house. She hadn't really realized before Ichigo just how lonely she was. But the last two weeks had driven the point home. She had been longing for someone who knew what violence was. After finding him, she let him leave without one word; not about how she felt, not one thing. It would be stupid if she didn't know she was in love with him, but she wasn't sure about his feelings. He was loyal and giving, and forgiving. But knowing this about him meant she couldn't be sure there was anything other then gratitude and friendship.

Turning back she looked over the city feeling old, would her feelings last till she could join him at his chosen college? She had thought she was in love with Inuyasha. She had thought her feelings for him would last a life time, but things between her and Ichigo were so different. Ichigo was everything she loved about Inuyasha and more. He had never looked down on her and never said any of the horrible things Inuyasha had. Ichigo looked at her, and all he saw was her. She closed her eyes. She missed him, talking on the phone wasn't the same. Her eyes fluttered up and she took a deep breath, just because she was feeling melancholy didn't mean she had to upset her family. Pasting a soft smile on her lips she focused on trying to find the words to make her trip to the store sound funny, Hojo's 'chance' encounter with her had been a bit worrisome, but it could easily sound funny.

Turning back to the shrine her breath caught seeing the boy standing a few feet behind her. "Ichigo?"

The boy smirked at her, "Hey, surprise!"

Kagome grinned, the false smile falling away. "I am surprised. What are you doing here?"

His face became serious, and a bit nervous. "Well it's a funny story really, but the ending is I'm switching schools and moving here to the shrine. If you want me to?"

Kagome knew she was scaring him but the pounding of her heart, the feeling of hope welling up held her still. "You mean you're moving here away from all your friends and family?"

Ichigo looked her in the eye, his normal scowl gone; replaced by a certain hopeful stillness, his mouth was just a line across his face. A sure sign he was afraid. "Not all of them."

The hope turned with a surge towards wild happiness, he had called them at best family and at worst friends good enough he wanted to leave everything behind for the chance to come back to them. The plastic bags slid from her numb fingers and she barely noticed taking a few steps closer. Until she was just out of arms reach of him, she had to ask which it was. "So what is the part of the story you skipped that was the biggest reason you came back?"

Ichigo's lips quirked, but the adams apple in his throat bobbed as he swallowed nervously. "Well I suppose the real answer is you. I missed you, talking on the phone wasn't good enough, I didn't want to wait for vacation time. I wasn't willing to wait until college."

Kagome felt a beamingly bright smile break out across her face, but she wasn't done with him yet. This time she wanted words, a confirmed set of guidelines. "Does that mean you're saying you like me?"

Kagome half cursed the last second cowardice, she could live with like even if she felt more strongly, he was moving; if he liked her enough to move it wasn't a minor like.

Ichigo slowly shook his head as he took a hesitant step forward bringing her within arms reach. "No, I think like isn't the word, I know I more than like you."

For a second it felt like she was going to explode with happiness, he said it was more then like! She leaped forward mashing her chest to his; while wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him down enough to kiss him. When he'd kissed her before she had been so surprised she hadn't noticed how soft his lips were or how his breath tasted so much sweeter then Inuyasha's, he was sweeter then Inuyasha. His arms crept around her back, pulling her closer and lifting her higher.

She began to feel light headed but knew she wasn't ready to pull away just yet, running a hand through the vibrant hair she liked so much she opened her eyes unaware she had closed them. His eyes were open and on her. He'd been watching her as they kissed. Air became more than a pleasant need, she pulled away. Kagome gasped for air pleased by the happy look in his eyes even if he looked surprised she'd pounced on him. "I more then like you too. I'm glad you're staying. I didn't think I had the right to ask mom to let me go again."

Ichigo grinned a slightly silly smile. "You were thinking about moving to Karakura?"

Kagome knew her blush probably matched his. "I thought about moving a lot. I missed seeing you. Talking over the phone wasn't good enough."

Ichigo turned a brighter red and for a second silence hung in between them but Kagome wanted to confirm what had just happened. "You are going to ask me out, right?"

Ichigo snorted, then with an over done flourish he bowed. "So brave priestess... be my girlfriend?"

Kagome giggled, he'd never been so silly before. She wasn't the only one high on happiness. "Of course brave... ex-shinigami."

Now he was laughing at her.

"Shut up. You started it." With a huff she remembered the groceries she had been carrying. Her mom had known Ichigo was coming that was what the extra food was for. "Help me carry this in."

He walked over and while picking up the food add one thing. "This is where I tell you the mad-man that fathered me is here until tomorrow afternoon."

Kagome groaned. A happy smile crept across her lips, because even if she didn't think much of Ichigo's father at least if he was around to annoy her Ichigo would be too. Carrying her two bags, Ichigo handled the other two. Kagome knew if Ichigo was going to hang around she was going to keep him.

The End

**Now for some boring general information. I don't plan on writing a sequel but if it happens you guys will be the first to know. Now I have been asked who the Shinigami in Kagome's family tree was but I figured it was some fourth or fifth seat who got sent to the real world and stayed then died fighting a hollow. What you really should have asked is who was the half Shinigami half human. But I'm sure those up to date can guess. But thanks all of you who had read and reviewed and thanks to those who had just read it. I'm glad so many of you liked this story.**

**DarkShadowedRose**


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